The Flower from Midgar
by Chryselis
Summary: Without warning, Aerith disappears from Nibelheim leaving behind her family and a boy she had always loved. Six years later, the boy grows up and heads out for Midgar where he discovers she is not the same person she used to be.
1. The Flower Lady

_**4/17/2017**_

 _ **Greetings! Flower from Midgar, or FFM is my first FF7 fic. If you think this is going to be a sweet story, please don't let the title fool you. FFM is dark, touching topics of human trafficking, unrequited love, trust, betrayal and second chances.**_

 _ **For old readers, I've changed the order of some parts of the story, realizing that some parts provide a better reading experience if read at the later part.**_

 _ **For new readers who're drawn or clicked the link out of curiosity, I would like to say thank you for the time for clicking the "Next" button, or just clicking "Chapter 1" without reading the rest of the story.**_

 _ **I hope you'll enjoy this story. Have fun!**_

 _ **Chryselis**_

 _ **Seven years ago…..**_

 _It was dead._

Cloud reclined in his chair, holding the potted plant he bought for a school project. He had lavished the plant with water, sunlight and affection. In spite of everything he had done, the plant looked dead.

Maybe it was dead, to his frustration, and so was his grade.

Remembering the reason why he bought the plant, he cringed. His Biology teacher had simple instructions: _Buy a plant. Take good care of it. Document the changes you've observed. After one month, submit the plant and the documentation you made._

The young sixteen-year old Cloud immediately visited the only Flower Shop in Nibelheim, carefully browsing through the pots and vases of attractive flowers in different shades of red, blue, white and violet. To him, all the plants looked the same, yet for some strange reason, his eyes strayed towards a small green plant with sharp chubby leaves.

A box partially obstructed it from the view of potential buyers, stirring Cloud's pity for the potted plant. It was a poor little thing, rooted in a brown mug-sized container. Curious, he touched the white pebbles sprinkled on top of the soil and lovingly pinched the softness of the leaves.

The chubby leaves had won him, and Cloud found himself the proud owner of an Echeveria Succulent.

He had trouble remembering the name, and aptly renamed it as _Fatty_ , aka _"That Cute Fat Plant"_. His mother was deeply amused and allowed her son to nurture the plant, hoping Cloud would cultivate a green thumb.

Two weeks later, Cloud had only proved his thumb was black, and he had to do something—fast.

"What's wrong, dear?"

"My plant is dead, and so is my grade for Biology class."

Mrs. Strife observed the depressed plant. "I think Elvira's daughter can help you."

"Who?"

"Aerith." She reminded him. "You _have_ seen the flowers around their house, right? Elvira told me her daughter planted those herself."

Cloud blinked. He knew who his mother was talking about. Elvira's only daughter and his batch mate at Nibelheim Highschool—Aerith Gainsborough.

She was a year older him, and was popular with the male students. Her strong affinity with plants and flowers earned her the monicker, _"The Flower Lady"_.

Aerith kept her long brown hair in braids, and she was very feminine and appealing. That is, if guys loved the girl-next door look. Any guy would have been proud to introduce to their parents.

Despite her wholesome and nice-girl appearance, Cloud never had the courage to approach her at school. And not even his dying plant would change wanted to solve his problem without involving others.

"I think I'll buy another plant."

His mother laughed, sensing her son's dilemma. "Don't be silly, Cloud. No one died from asking help."

"I know, but it's just that—"

"Don't tell me you're scared of Aerith. She's a sweet darling."

Cloud bit his lip.

"Are you scared of her?" She asked. "Do you have a crush on her?"

He jolted from the chair, his face flushed in scarlet. "O-o-of course not mom!"

"They what are you waiting for?" she said. "Go to their house... _now."_

Cloud carried his beloved plant and placed it on the basket on his bike. _No one died from asking help_. He took a deep breath. _Man up, Cloud._

The Gainsboroughs lived on the outskirts of Nibelheim, a good fifteen-minute bike ride from his house. Cloud took his time to enjoy the sights and sounds of families walking by the roads; the birds flying across the blue sky and the voices of children happily playing by the fields. The gentle breeze of the wind kissing his face and spiky blond hair as he pedaled his bike through the dirt road.

The bike-ride ended when he saw the familiar red roof of a two-storey house. Parking his bike near an oak tree, he approached the house and knocked on the door.

 _No one died from asking help, he told himself, trying to calm his nerves down._ He looked around the property, smelling a subtle fragrance he couldn't identify. Not too strong, not too faint- An elusive scent that reminded him of babies and children.

The door creaked. "Who's there?" the voice said.

"Oh, Good morning Mrs. Elvira." He introduced himself. "I'm Cloud Strife, Aerith's batch mate at school. I, uh, was wondering if she's there?"

Elvira Gainsborough opened the door and urged him to come inside. It was the first time he had the opportunity to look at her directly. She was a beautiful woman, although a bit different from her daughter. She donned a white apron over her green dress. Her hair, the same shade of brown like Aerith's, was kept in a tight bun. "Please sit down. I'll call for her."

The wooden floorboards squeaked as he walked his way to the nearest chair and sat. The Gainsboroughs' lived in a modest yet spacious house. Natural light illuminated the room through the large windows, and the same elusive scent lingered inside the house.

"Hello, Cloud."

His heart skipped a beat at the sight of her. Aerith removed the straw hat from her head, revealing a long braid of brown hair neatly tied in pink ribbons. Mud and dirt smudged her immaculate white knee-length dress, gloves and boots. Her skin was flushed from the warmth of the afternoon sun.

Seconds passed.

Cloud licked his dry lips, his mind grasping for the words to say. They were never introduced, and he doubted if she even noticed him at school. Still, he had no choice. Between a failed grade or reviving a dead plant, he chose the latter.

"I need your help Aerith." He presented to her the dying Fatty.

Moving towards him, she cocked her head. "My, that is one over-watered Echeveria Succulent."

 _Echeveria what?_

Aerith took the slumped plant and touched its yellow leaves. "Definitely overwatered. Come, let's go outside."

Cloud gaped upon seeing the different flowers that occupied every nook and cranny of the garden. Carefully, he touched the flowers and sniffed each one, looking for the scent that haunted him at the entrance.

"Did you plant these all by yourself?"

She nodded. "With my mother's help."

Aerith led him to a slightly shaded corner, where a large flower bed was set. He recognized some of the plants. "That looks like my Fatty."

Her green eyes perked with delight. "Fatty?"

Cloud scratched his head, embarrassed. "Er, it's the name I gave it."

She tried to suppress her laughter. "You must have named it after the leaves." Aerith pinched the soggy leaves. "It must have been adorable when you bought it."

"I don't understand why it's dying. I watered it daily, and I always left it outside the house for sunshine."

Aerith motioned Cloud to kneel beside the flower bed. "It's true that flowers thrive on sunlight and water, but Echeverias thrive on neglect. It doesn't need to be watered every day."

"I thought all plants needed sunlight and water." He sighed. "No wonder I killed it."

Aerith giggled. "You can water it once a week, and let it bathe in the sunshine every other day." She paused for a second. "A little praise does wonders too."

 _Praise?_ Incredulous, he couldn't help but ask. "You talk to plants?"

She impishly smiled. "I know it's a strange practice, but the flowers are livelier when I talk to them."

So _this_ was the reason for her strong affinity with plants.

She respected and treated them like human beings, that the plant had no other choice but to respond. Cloud clapped his hands in genuine admiration. "No wonder they call you _The Flower Lady_."

She chuckled. "Thank you."

She set the plant near the flower bed. "Your little one is in such a bad shape. Can he stay with me for, hm, a week? I'll try to see what I can do."

He found it amusing that she addressed the plant as a living and breathing organism, even going so far to address it as a man. "Alright. Can I visit him after classes? I want to talk to him after all. I can walk you home, if you like."

Aerith's eyes slightly widened. "Oh my, that sounds like a date."

His face flushed. "I-I didn't mean that!" His heart beat rapidly. Shoot, he had never thought it that way.

"I was teasing you, Cloud," She smiled gleefully. "I'll walk with you. Shall I see you tomorrow then?"

He swallowed. "Th-thanks Aerith."

"You're from the Other Section, aren't you?"

Cloud stiffened at the innocent question. He wasn't a genius, nor was he a poor performer. He was average- and that was how the Other Section was categorized- a section of average joes.

For a moment, he was filled with shame to even admit it. Aerith sensed his distress and looked apologetic. "I'm sorry if I asked. It's just that, I rarely see you at school, even though we're batch mates."

"I'm not sociable type of guy." He reasoned.

She escorted him inside the house. Elvira was kind to offer him a glass of cold orange juice and a slice of home-made apple pie. Aerith urged him to stay and try her mother's cooking. Cloud graciously accepted and ate the pie, dripping with its sweet syrup. The warm soft bits of the apple dissolved his mouth, and he licked his lips several times, enjoying its juicy taste.

Suddenly, Aerith reached and gently brushed the crumbs on his cheek. Smiling, she looked into his blue eyes. "My mom bakes the best Apple Pie, right?"

Cloud's heart lurched. Blinking, he wondered if he was dreaming. _An average joe sitting beside one of Nibelheim High's popular students_. He wanted to pinch himself, but refrained from doing so.

"It's the best!"

Aerith's smile had easily dismantled his doubt. Everything that was happening was real, and it happened because he took courage to ask.

"Is it too late for my plant to survive?"

She shook her head. "You can never say it's too late, unless you try."

He smiled back, knowingly it was too late to uproot the seeds of an requited love he nurtured for her.


	2. Tifa's heartbreak

**4/17/17**

 **This was originally chapter 1, and I swapped in with chapter 2. If you're an old reader, I edited some parts, removed and added some scenes. Hopefully, the scenes finally make sense!**

 **Have fun!**

 **-Chryselis**

* * *

 **Now**

He was going to commit big mistake, and he knew it.

Sacrificing a happy six-year relationship for the "one who got away" was a stupid decision. Foolish, or crazy even. But dumping your hot girlfriend? That trumped everything.

Men would call him foolish, but Cloud didn't care. His life was his to live. Not for others to dictate.

He didn't know when the notion came to him, but he knew that every dazzling smile his girlfriend bestowed upon him, it would jab his heart like a sharp knife.

For six long years, he endured those jabs, and he had enough. He couldn't afford to keep up with the lies and pretenses.

Tifa Lockheart was a good woman, and he knew he was blessed to have her by his side. They had become a couple during their last year in high school, and his classmates had envied him for it. They had even sent him death threats, to be exact.

But he was still alive, thank God his classmates didn't have the spine to do it.

Tifa was present and supportive during the high and low points in life. She became his pillar, providing him the safety and balance when life became rough. And she was an excellent cook. What living man wouldn't appreciate a woman who could keep his stomach full and satiated?

He was a lucky guy, he told himself. He thought he could learn to love her, and when the knife jabs thrust his heart again, he repeated the mantra again.

Except that he had enough of deluding himself.

The door to Tifa's Café, Seventh Heaven was wide open. He knew she lived on the second floor, and he made it past through the ground floor, ignoring the male patrons who frequented her place. Climbing the stairs, he was about to knock on the door when it opened.

"What a surprise, Cloud!" Tifa exclaimed, ushering him insider her humble abode. "Sit down and I'll brew your favorite coffee."

"Thanks." He replied, hoping his trembling body didn't hint his nervousness. _Man up, Cloud Strife._ _You can do this._

The strong aroma of coffee filled her apartment, making his stomach churn.

In his haste, Cloud had forgotten to eat. Ever loving and supportive, Tifa served him a mug of hot coffee with two fresh bagels.

"Your favorite." She smiled and kissed his cheek.

Tifa's smile was one of her greatest assets. His male friends cheered how lucky Cloud was to have her, yet the cheers and envy weren't enough to placate his guilt.

He was lying to her for the past six years.

Tifa deserved better. She deserved to be with an honest man, not a cheater. Not a man whose heart was pre-occupied with a green-eyed woman.

"I need to break up with you."

Tifa dropped her fork, the sound piercing the silence in the room.

Suddenly, the room became uncomfortable, the silence suffocating him. He didn't want to hurt her, but he did. And there was nothing he could do to make it hurt less.

After a long minute or two, she finally found her voice. "It took you long enough to tell me that."

Cloud looked sullen. "I didn't want to hurt you.

She arched her brow. "Well, you're hurting me."

He couldn't look at her in the eyes, with guilt gnawing his heart. "I couldn't forget her."

She knew who he was talking about. "You don't need to apologize."

"I wasted six years of your life."

She twined her hands with his. "We spent six years experiencing the pitfalls of a one-sided relationship. Think of it as a learning experience."

She was taking this well. _Too well._

"Try to be an optimist." she assured him. "The worst thing you can do to me is continue this farce of a relationship. That's what it has been to you all these years, right?"

"I did care for you—"

"—But it's not enough to make you forget about Aerith."

No, she wasn't taking this too well, he decided. She was nearing her breaking point, and she knew it.

"I've been under her shadow the entire time, huh?"

He gave her no answer, and that was all she needed from him.

She stood up from her seat, urging him to stand as well. Tifa twined her arms around his neck, playing with the buttons on his shirt. "If I can't have your heart, then will you let me have your body?"

Shit, not this.

"One last time, please?"

It had been like this during their first time, and it would be the same for their last. Cloud gave in, hoping it would suffice as an apology. An apology, he knew, that would only hurt her further.

The hours stretched, and by sunrise, Tifa opened her eyes in a post-coital daze. They were still lying on her bed, with her hand sprawled across Cloud's naked chest. He was in deep sleep, his chest heaving. Leisurely, she removed a lock of hair that fell on his forehead.

She would never get tired of looking at him. She would never stop loving him.

But if she didn't do anything to get him out of her system, she would never be able to recover from the heartbreak she sunk into.

Then one tear fell from her eyes, followed by another, and another. The tears were cascading from her eyes so fast that she couldn't suppress the sob from her throat.

 _The ship has sunk, Tifa. There's no use in trying to stay in sunken ship._

She wanted to hate him, to make his life miserable. To make him feel the guilt of deceiving her for the rest of his life. But she loved him too much.

Cloud's blue eyes opened, and he focused on the crying woman beside him. Gathering her in his arms, he said no words, damn him, and held her for a very long time.

"Will you look for her?"

"Yes."

"But you don't know where she is."

"I don't," he admitted. "But that won't stop me."

She could make his journey miserable, Tifa contemplated. Gaia was such a large place, and Aerith was only one human, a needle in a haystack. He would never find her. One wrong turn at the wrong place at the wrong time could cost him his life.

She almost gave in to the temptation. Almost.

"I might never return alive." he confessed. "I could die along the way and never find her."

"Then why are you risking your life?" she wanted to understand him, wanted to understand why he could give up everything for the woman who vanished from their lives six years ago.

"I didn't want to be a butcher's dog anymore."

Did he really see himself that way? An animal deprived of the meat while lying down on the corner of the shop?

She made up her mind. If he decided to be honest with her, then she could afford the same.

"She's working in Sector Six at the Honey Bee District in Midgar."

Cloud froze, hearing her statement. "You knew where she was all along?"

"Just recently." She confessed, knowing he would bombard her with a dozen of questions. Aerith's disappearance had disturbed their sleepy little town, and it had destroyed whatever remained of Elvira Gainsborough.

"She wrote me a letter."

"Why haven't you told me?"

"She asked me not to."

He looked hurt, as if he didn't believe her.

Let him, she grumbled. "Don't give me that look. I'm actually giving you a favor. I could have shut my mouth, and you wouldn't have a clue on where to find her.

Cloud looked at her for a long time, and damn him, his eyes looked brighter. Much brighter compared to the six years they spent with each other. "Thank you, Tifa."

"What happens when you realize it's too late to be with her?"

He wrinkled his brows, looking puzzled.

"She's no longer the same Aerith we knew." She told him, because it was the truth.

Aerith had never disclosed what happened to her for the last six years, but the Flower Lady had been her classmate for years. Tifa knew how she composed her letters, how Aerith strung her words and sentence, how optimistic she could be.

The letter was not optimistic.

"Nothing is too late."

Tifa's smile barely reached her ears. "I see." Then she rolled to the other side of the bed and drew a deep breath. "Get out of here Cloud, I never want to see you again."

"For the rest of your life?"

Damn him.

"For the rest of my life."


	3. An Honorable Man

"Admission is for Pink Card holders _only_."

"But I'm willing to pay—"

" _Scram!_ "

Cloud wrinkled his brows as he gazed at the impressive six-foot five-inch bouncer that blocked his path. The meaty biceps were more than enough to break his neck. Determined to negotiate entry, he approached the man once more, only for his five-feet seven frame to be hurled at the nearest garbage bin.

The impact knocked his breath away and sent his mind reeling with pain. Struggling to stand, he brushed the gravels of stone and dirt that clung to his clothes. Sadly, the offensive odor of the waste left its indelible mark on him. A group of well-dressed men in suits passed by and jeered. "Hey, don't forget to take a shower!"

Ignoring their rude remarks, he focused his attention at obnoxious building that denied him entry. The two-week journey from Nibelheim to this hell-hole of a city wouldn't deter his quest to be reunited with her. As the flickering pink and yellow lights illuminated his dirt-smeared face, he silently vowed to find a way inside. _Just wait for me, Aerith._

The heaviness of the large weapon on his back began to wear him down, prompting a search for a hotel. Despite being a Slum Area, Sector 6 wasn't a cheap place to live in. It was f*cking expensive.

Six hours later, five hotels had politely declined him accommodation, irritating him. It didn't help that his Buster Sword was a drag to carry around. Unloading the blade from its holster, he set it aside on the ground and accidentally caught his reflection. Realization dawned on him why those hotels had turned him away.

Staring at his reflection from the blade, he stroked his beard and smoothened the tendrils of hair that escaped his ponytail. He chuckled, remembering his preference for a spiky hairstyle in his youth. Now that he was older, those spiky locks had grown, reaching his shoulders, and he frequently found himself tying it in a bun. One day, he would cut the long locks and style it how it used to be. Until that day came, long hair was his preferred style. His wrinkled lack leather jacket and pants was smeared with grime and dirt.

"Looks like I need a hot bath, a shave and a wardrobe make-over."

Fortunately, a three-storey Boutique Hotel not too far from Honey Bee Inn accepted him. The composed front desk officer entertained Cloud's wretched appearance. At one thousand Gil per night, it was the cheapest hotel accommodation he found. In Sector Six, the average cost of a single room overnight stay ranged from 2,500-5,000 Gil per night.

Receiving his room key, he couldn't help but about the blasted card. "Do you know how or where I can get a Pink Card at the Honey Bee Inn?"

"No, I'm sorry." He replied. "Why do you even want to go in there?"

"I'm looking for a friend." He showed the officer a picture Aerith gave him many years ago. She was only fifteen years old, her smiling face was framed by a mass of brown hair that curled around her face. "Have you seen her?"

The man's eyes were glued on the picture before he shook his head.

"Too bad." With an exasperated sigh, he thanked him and walked to his room.

The front desk officer politely smiled and waited as the large buster sword vanished from his sight. Immediately, he fumbled through his pocket for his cellular phone and dialed a number. "Boss, guess what, someone's staying her to look for _her_ —"

* * *

Aerith once boasted to him her favorite city in world, and how she dreamt of seeing its bright lights and tall skyscrapers. He sighed, contemplating the view in front of him as he stood on a bridge.

Sector Six was covered in a thick smog blinding the skyscrapers from view, and the large plates shadowing the district suffocated him. Not too far from where he stood, was a brown-tinged river flowing between a settlement of shanty houses. A shiver ran from his spine as he witnessed a family of rats crawling out of the drainage and disappeared in the murky depths of the waters.

Cloud earned his living working as a bounty hunter, traveling to different cities and towns. Each city he visited had its inherent beauty, and he struggled to find the beauty Aerith bragged to him.

 _A shitty city with shitty people._

His search for the Pink Card reached a dead end. Every person he approached brushed him off, and was staring to believe that someone was deliberately preventing him from finding her. He gritted his teeth, hoping for a miracle.

He dropped by the offensive building called _Honey Bee Inn,_ observing the people who passed in and out. Most of the guests were well-dressed men in suits, often visiting in groups. It was a rare sight to find a single man pass through the intimidating bouncer.

Cloud lost balance when a man with a staggering gait crashed and fell on top of him. Trying to wriggle from the weight and smell of liquor-laden breath, he pushed him away.

Free, he shook the man for any response. "Mister, are you alright?"

The man was flushed and his speech slurred. "Must get… into… Honey Bee Inn—"

"Do you have a pass?"

"—Condom in my Wallet"

Cloud tried to reason with the drunkard and gave up upon hearing him snore. Taking pity, he swung the man's arm over his shoulder and looked for the nearest bench.

 _Just my luck, to bag a date with a drunkard._

His blue-eyes scrutinized the drunk's attire, reminding him of the men in Honey Bee Inn. Rich. Classy. Tuxedo…. Probably a P _ink Card holder._

Swallowing, he struggled to balance himself. His mother had single-handedly raised him to become a kind and respectful gentle human being. If his mother was here, she would have chided him to do the most proper and honorable thing, and he, Cloud Strife, was a proper and honorable man.

He shoved the drunken man into the nearest dark alley and rummaged through his pockets. Finding his wallet, he flipped through it until a glossy pink card fell on the ground.

 _No, don't you dare, Cloud Strife. Don't you dare._

Whistling, he returned the wallet into his pocket when another thought crossed his mind. His mother's frowning face flickered. _No, don't you dare again, Cloud Strife._

He undressed his dark tuxedo and pointed shoes, leaving him sprawled naked on the cold concrete floor. Fearing that he would be identified if he swapped his clothes with the drunk, Cloud slashed it into pieces and threw it in the garbage can. The man's wallet, save for the pink card, was untouched and left beside the unconscious man.

"Sorry buddy, a desperate man has to do what he needs to do."

Clad in the drunkard's attire with the Pink Card in hand, he made his way to Honey Bee Inn, where the familiar Bouncer greeted him once more.

Praying he wouldn't be recognized, he presented the laminated card. The Bouncer stared at him from head to foot, wondering how he managed to procure the item. "Get your skinny ass in."

"Thanks."

Cloud walked inside, feeling proud that he was one step less from meeting Aerith. Thick smoke and soft pink ultraviolet ray lights overwhelmed his eyes. The loud echo of the music along the hallway added to his irritation.

Out of nowhere, a beautiful blonde in a scarlet gown appeared in front of him. "Welcome to the Honey Bee Inn. I've never seen you before.

"I came here alone." He replied.

She led Cloud to a table with a perfect view of the center stage. Seated comfortably, he took Aerith's picture from his wallet. "I'm looking this woman."

"Hm… I'm not surprised that's she's lovely in her youth." She drawled. "Aerith infrequently performs here. Consider yourself lucky she's here tonight."

"I thought she's employed here as a waitress."

Her lips curled into a sinister smile. "You ask too many questions, young man." Before he could ask further, the woman left him.

Sighing, he covertly assessed his surroundings. The room was dimly lit as flashes of colorful lights glittered every second. Men in business suits laughed as they talked to their female companions, while other men were eager to nuzzle their necks.

"Hey, handsome. Want to have a good time with me?"

Cloud glanced at the intruder, another lovely blonde in a black halter dress that barely covered her thighs.

"No thanks, I'm looking for Aerith."

The smile on her lips died as she turned to walk away from him. "Her again, huh? Jeez, I don't understand what men see in her."

He shrugged. "I guess I'll have a good time by myself then." Ordering a bottle of their best beer, he he gulped it down, and nearly choked. _This is their best beer? Even Tifa's coffee tastes better than this!_

Another intruder sat beside him. This time, it wasn't a woman looking for a good time, but a tall red-haired man with strange markings underneath the corner of his eyes. Unlike the other men, his white poloshirt was untucked and his suit, unbuttoned.

The handsome face crooked into a sheepish grin. "Haven't seen you here before. Where are you from, stranger?"

For some unknown reason, the man's cheerful disposition unnerved him. Zack Fair once taught him how identify a dangerous situation, and this red-head was danger personified.

"It doesn't matter."

"Yep, you have that non-Midgar look alright." He signaled the waiter for a drink.

"Are you a regular customer?" Cloud asked.

Appearing not to hear him, the red-haired man chugged down the cool beverage. "Ahh! This is the worst beer ever."

He smiled at his casual remark, amused that not every Midgar Citizen found the beer appealing. "This isn't the worst beer."

"Yeah, nothing is worse that mugging a drunk person and stealing their Pink card... some guts _you_ have."

Cloud didn't flinch as he sipped his beer. "My mother didn't raise me to steal from drunk people."

"Yeah, and I was born through my father's anus."

"It must have been quite a laceration."

The stranger guffawed at his remark. "You're a funny guy." Emptying his bottle, the red-haired man stood up. "Man, I need to go now, stranger. Duty calls."

Cloud barely batted him an eyelash. "Bye."

"Oh, before I go-" He leaned forward that only the two of them could hear. " _Runaways don't escape Midgar alive...they explode into smithereens."_


	4. Reckless

_So close._

Cloud's gaze never left the stranger until the spiky red hair vanished among the crowd of men and women. The cryptic message left an unpleasant feeling in his chest, as if warning him not to push through with his plans.

And the fact he casually mentioned how the drunk was mugged for the suit and Pink Card….

 _Am I being followed?_

He pinched his face. Now wasn't the right time to be paranoid. _Breathe in. Breathe out. Relax._

Shifting his attention, his blue eyes scanned for anything familiar. Long dark hair. Braids. Green Eyes. Slim Built. Pink Ribbons. Sweet smile. Gentle demeanor.

Fear crept in his heart. The women looked the same, dressed the same, smelled the same and behaved the same. What if she also prostrated for the attention of these men? No… Her sweet and gentle demeanor wouldn't fit the wanton ladies who openly displayed their affections for the men to pluck. Aerith wouldn't dare to enter this kind of… profession.

It was simply… impossible.

Lost in thought, he barely noticed how the obnoxious lights dimmed as the boisterous music lowered its tempo into a soothing sexy jazz. The kind of music you would hear when you were in the mood to have a sexy time with your lover.

Thick smoke began to blanket the center stage, and a group of women garbed in cowboy outfits appeared, dancing as they enticed the attention of the crowd.

His eyes scanned across their heavy make-up. No. Not a trace. Thank God. Perhaps Tifa made a mistake…

Another woman appeared, with her long dark hair bound in a bun, hidden by a large cowboy hat and her face heavily covered with make-up. Like the other women, she also wore the same attire.

He stared at her, long and hard.

Sultry. Pale. Beautiful.

A deafening applause broke as she began to remove the bolero and dropped it on the ground. Cheers followed as she slowly unbuttoned her blue poloshirt and unbuckled her gold belt. Her knee-length skirt dropped around her ankles and kicked it aside. Leisurely, she removed her articles, one by one, until she was only down to her black lace underwear and her ankle-length boots.

Removing her hat, she untied the knot from her hair, allowing it to cascade through her shoulders and back. He stared at the lace clutched in her hand.

A pink ribbon.

Not knowing if it was an accident, her green-eyes met and his breathing stilled. _No, it can't be. It can't be you._

Recognition flickered in her eyes, yet it was so fleeting that any person could assume there was none at all. Her seductive mask faltered as time stood still.

Her eyes… looked so empty.

 _She's no longer the same Aerith we knew._

The crowd's roar broke their tranquil moment, prompting her to wear her damn mask again.

 _No, don't. Don't—_

But she couldn't hear his thoughts. Leisurely, she unhooked the lace bra, letting the strap slip from her shoulders as it dropped on the floor.

Bile threatening to rise from this throat, he closed his eyes, where no one could see the tears drop from his eyes.

 _Snap out of it. Snap out of it._

The roars grew louder that it hurt. Sitting on that chair, as she performed—whatever that was—for the multitude of men shouting for her. The images burned in his memory, carving the most painful experience anyone could have.

It had to stop.

Right then and there, he made a decision.

Conscience pricked him. But he had to do what he had to do.

Casting Fire supported with an _All_ Materia on the wooden objects was more than enough to stop the performance, causing a commotion that sent everyone into pandemonium. Shrieks and screams ripped through the building, as the people stampeded to the exit.

" _Douse the flames!"_

Water rained from the sprinkler system, attempting to tame the angry flames. But it was too late. In his reckless determination, a blaze so strong ignited, threatening to devour the building and hundreds of lives.

 _Aerith. Aerith._

She was still half-naked on the center stage.

He ran for her, dodging past the bouncers who tried to restrain him. He whisked her away to the backstage as his palm drowned her muffled cries.

Struggling against him, she wiggled. "Stop it, don't… let go!—"

He whirled her around to face him. "Aerith, it's _me_."

Stunned, she licked her lips as she took in his profile. Longish blonde hair. No trace of a beard. His blue eyes gave him away. "Did… Did you cause this mess?"

"I'm taking you back home."

She laughed, not quite believing him and shrugged. "But I am home."

What was she joking?

Searching for another Materia in his pocket, he equipped it on his arm bracelet and summoned a magical being. Aerith's eyes widened as a Chocobo materialized out of nowhere and rammed the wall, creating a large hole.

"This way."

He led her to an abandoned playground in the outskirts of Sector Six. Birds squawked and flapped their wings as the visitors disturbed their nests. Knee-length grass brushed against their legs as they walked the surrounding fields. Finally, he took her to an empty sandbox, where she slumped on the ground.

"You were foolish." She breathed. "I never expected you'd pull that sort of ruckus."

"I told you I'd return you to Nibelheim."

She shook her head. "I've made Midgar my home."

What did she mean by that? "You can't mean this stinking hell-hole of a city is your home."

"Don't make me repeat myself."

"Why, Aerith?"

"Are you asking me why I chose to live here, or because of what I did earlier?"

 _Both!_ "I want to understand you."

"There's not much to understand about me, Cloud." She said. "People change."

"Then why did you leave Nibelheim?" His eyes narrowed. "Disappearing without a trace... your mother almost had a heart attack."

Aerith ignored his question, her expression softening with nostalgia. "How's Elvira doing now?"

She had always called her _mother_. "A drunkard with a heart ailment."

Any trace of compassion and nostalgia vanished and she shrugged. "I guess I'm not the perfect daughter after all, huh?"

"You can always go back."

"Perhaps, if—"

"If what?"

She laughed. "Nothing."

Something wasn't right. This wasn't the Flower Lady he met seven years ago, who helped him with a dying plant. This was a stranger who never wanted to do anything with that lifetime. What could have happened to her during those lost six years?

"You shouldn't have broken up with Tifa." She blurted, changing the topic.

"She deserves better."

Aerith looked offended. "Do you think hooking up with me will change everything?"

"I didn't burn Honey Bee for nothing."

This time, genuine laughter bubbled within her. "Go back to Nibelheim and don't come back again."

He frowned. Why was she so elusive about going home?

"How long have you been doing it?" he asked, referring to her unlikely profession.

Closing her eyes, she released a weary sigh. "As long as I can remember, and I'd rather not remember how long that was."

"Then come home with me, I'll make you forget the bad memories."

Her eyes blinked. "You don't give up easily, do you?" Without warning, she covered his body with hers, straddling him on his hips, she cupped his face and gently touched his lips. "I bet seeing me on that stage gave you some bad memories as well."

 _If you only knew._

"Will you make me forget them?"

Smiling, she lazily kissed him as they rolled on the grass-carpeted earth. Quickly undressing himself, he held her within his arms, savoring her feel, her taste, her smell... Without much encouragement, he drove inside her, making her cry out in pleasure.

Nothing else was heard, except for the soft rustle of the grass as they heaved with strong emotions. When Aerith screamed with delight, he shuddered, allowing himself release. _Six long and lonely years without her._

"Cloud." She smiled against his chest, as he cradling her in his arms. "It's so nice to be with you again…just like the old times."

He wasn't going to let her go again… never…

The sound of the wind's breeze, the soft grass underneath him and Aerith's presence lulled him to sleep. When he woke up, he was surprised to feel a piercing coldness on his back. Opening his eyes, he was momentarily confused. Where was he?

The room was dark, except for the low dimmed lights that illuminated the hallway of the cell. Cell? Alarmed, he tried to move his arms.

They were cuffed behind his back.

Confusion paralyzed him. He didn't recall visiting a cold dungeon in his itinerary for Midgar.

Where had he been for the past few days?

Probing the depths of his mind, he swam through a stream of hazy memories. A Pink Card. Honey Bee Inn. The Fire. The playground. _Aerith._

He was caught!

"Aerith!" he yelled, hoping she wasn't imprisoned in the same dungeon he was in. He kicked the walls, hoping it would break. The darkness made it difficult to find any door.

Damn, he was so careless. He shouldn't have fallen asleep. If only… If only…

A voice from the darkness stilled him, making the hairs on his spine stand. "It's useless. The room is fortified with titanium."

 _That voice_. He hoped it was a bad joke. Really.

A clicking sound eliminated the darkness, allowing a complete view of his cage. It was a room painted in solid white. No wonder it was cold. The only division was a large glass that separated him from the guest.

He looked at the figure dressed in a sharp business suit attire standing in front of him. Denial slowly ate his mind and heart. God couldn't be so vicious. Don't tell me…"

The same mouth he worshipped at the Park curled into a cruel smile. "I told you I'm not the perfect daughter."

* * *

 **Author's note:**

For the people who took their time reading this story, let me express my gratitude! I don't know if someone will still continue to read after this chapter is published. So is Aerith a bad person after all? Did Cloud leave his comfort zone for someone who doesn't even want to be with him? Did he make a big mistake in choosing her over Tifa?

Honestly, I, too, am surprised with how the story is unfolding. It's straying from the original idea this story was inspired from. (Hint: look for Maga Gloc-9 at youtube)

Originally planned to be a 5 chapter story, it's now developing as a longer one.10 chapters, maybe? No plans to make it drag though. I've rewritten the first chapter, chopping certain paragraphs and improving the dialogue. My prose and choice of words is still developing, if you find any mistakes I have overlooked, please feel free to drop a comment.

FFM is my first written fic that's... dark. Yep. This one is dark, and it's straying from the romance-drama label I tagged it, bordering towards romance-psychological-suspense-mystery.

If that's your cup of tea, can I invite you to read on?

Thank you and have a nice day!


	5. Praying for a Miracle

An ominous laughter echoed through the walls of the Gainsborough residence. It was a sound he once heard from her , when the stages of denial subsided, giving rise to anger and hate.

"Good luck with that ingrate."

Cloud, however, ignored the hostility in her voice and believed she still cared for Aerith. "You're her mother."

"I was a fool to adopt a dying woman's daughter." She hiccupped. "Look at how my altruism repaid me."

Elvira Gainsborough slumped on the settee, holding a bottle of liquor in hand. She was, if anything, a shell of her former self. Once a kind and hard-working woman, the abandonment of her only adopted daughter took its toll on her body and hardened her heart. The Elvira who welcomed him in his house many years ago had vanished.

"Tifa's a better match for you." She continued. "God knows what you saw in my adopted ingrate."

He kept silent as she chugged down the bottle of liquor.

"I'll reunite her with you." He rashly promised.

She bitterly laughed. "Don't expect me to welcome her with open arms."

It bothered him why Aerith had left the comfort Nibelheim provided. She had everything. A warm house surrounded by flowers she tended. A possible career as a Flower Producer. Popularity. Love. Affection. A kind and loving adoptive mother.

Her departure was a mystery for the people of Nibelheim and what became of her compounded that mystery.

A mystery with answers he wanted to discover _now._

" _Why?"_

Cold sweat drenched his clothes, pondering the magnitude of ugly concoction of denial and betrayal. He pressed his anterior against the glass wall, searching for any trace of kindness in her eyes, hoping it was a bad joke that would pass.

He found none.

"Why did you betray me?"

Her lips parted. "Betray you?"

She covered her mouth, muffling her laugher. Cloud clenched his teeth. Her voice, once music to his ears, suddenly annoyed him.

"I never pledged my allegiance to you."

"We have a _bond._ " He gritted. "We are childhood _friends_."

Her only reply was a pensive smile.

"Answer me, damn you!" he cursed.

In response, she touched the glass in between them, as if reaching towards him. He probed her eyes again, this time, finding genuine sorrow.

"I'm sorry it had to reach this point." She pulled her hand away. "I never wanted this to happen."

Without sparing him another glance, she walked away. Cloud tried to chase her, but the walls prevented him.

"Aerith, come back here!"

Helplessly, he listened to the fading echoes of her heels, and sight of her black suit disappear from his vision. She had walked away from him, just like that night, six years ago.

His despair was short-lived when another figure appeared in front of him. "Hey, stranger."

Mildly surprised, he suddenly recognized that he was dressed in the same manner like Aerith. Like a bad-ass assassin.

"What are you doing here?"

"Not a single word of _hello_?" He shook his head and smirked. "Man, now I understand why Aerith left you."

"Who are you?"

"Name's Reno."

"How do you know her?"

"I'm her bodyguard" He smiled. "I kill whoever tries to take her away from the boss."

 _The Boss?_

He feigned surprise. "Oops. I wasn't supposed to say that."

The situation confused him. "A stripper has a bodyguard?"

"You actually think she's just a cheap stripper?" Reno's eyes widened. "Man, so low man. _So low_."

Unable to control his anger, Cloud punched the transparent wall between them. "Then what _is_ she?"

"I think you should me more concerned about yourself." He leaned against the glass, directly looking into Cloud's eyes. "Arson. Theft against an intoxicated individual. Those are heinous crimes, man."

"You saw everything."

"Don't forget the hot scene at the sandbox." Reno's other hand grazed his disheveled hair. "It's like watching soft-core porn."

Cloud flushed red. "Bastard."

He laughed. "I like you, buddy. It's too bad we can't be friends."

"The feeling is mutual." he retorted.

"Then it makes things easier then." He moved away from the glass and pulled a remote control from his pocket.

Cloud glared at him. "Hating me?"

"Why, killing you, of course." And he pressed the button, allowing gas to flood his chamber.

The thick smoke choked his airway, making it difficult to breathe. Coughing, he moved away from the windows as his vision blurred.

He went with his gut and now he was going to pay with his life…. He should have listened to aunt Elvira… he should have….

Then everything faded to pitch black.

* * *

The soothing darkness enveloped him, making him dream of good times with his mentor, Zack Fair. One sunny afternoon, Cloud had found him perched on a hammock. He was teary-eyed as he flipped through the pages of a book.

"Why are you crying?"

Zack waved a book, wiping the tears from his eyes. "The hero of this book promised to return to the heroine after the war, but he doesn't and is presumed dead. She marries another man and dies without knowing the hero is still alive."

Cloud settled on his chair uncomfortably. "I didn't know you read tragic love stories."

"You should read." Zack laughed and opened page one.

 _Your Eyes on Me_ chronicled the tragic love story between two military men and a singer-songwriter. Cloud had seen it displayed on bookstores, and bought Tifa a copy. She had urged him to read it and he politely refused the offer. His affections for Aerith was tragic enough.

"Why do you like it?"

"You should confess your love without regrets."

"Then you should confess to your that lady, whoever she is."

"I think you should tell that yourself."

"Screw you."

* * *

When he finally regained consciousness, he realized he was no longer in his small cell, but in a larger room constructed to resemble a colosseum. A large glass plane covered the upper portion. He couldn't see anything beyond it, but he knew she was there, looking at him.

 _That ingrate._

He stood up and inspected the steel walls for any signs of a door he could break.There was a large door, enough to accommodate a ten wheeler truck, and it was jammed shut. Seeing no other ways of exit, he was about to retreat when the door creaked open.

Cloud stepped back, feeling uneasy when he heard a faint growl, sending shivers to his spine. If that wasn't enough, it was succeeded by two more howls.

The floor shook as a large creature emerged from the darkness. Standing at fifteen feet, it was a three-headed beast with crimson eyes. Cloud had never seen a creature like it. Its sharp paws grazed the ground as large droplets of saliva fell on the ground. One bite from its jaws would be sufficient to kill him.

"Impressive isn't it?" a voice boomed from the speakers. "It's an experiment inspired from the Hound of Hades, _Cerberus."_

They created this three-headed dog?

"It looks hungry."

"What better delicacy but human flesh?"

The beast made eye contact with him. _Oh shit, I am going to die._

Stripped of his weapon and Materia, there was little he could do but run. The monstrosity lunged, treating him like a prey in game of cat and mouse.

If he only had his blade. Damn it.

Aerith's sorrowful face flashed in the midst of the crazy chase. Her words taunted him . _I'm sorry it had to reach this point._

He gritted his teeth. If he only hadn't listened to Zack's notions of _love without regret…_ He didn't leave everything behind to become dog food.

Evading the beast, a singular thought crossed his mind, giving his the strength to live.

 _I will make her sorry_ _._

He looked at the glass window once more. If they had expected him to die without a fight, he was going to disappoint them.

Cloud halted and the beast regarding it with piqued curiosity.

"Are you giving up?" the voice asked.

Cloud smiled. "I'm praying for a miracle."

Seconds later, the middle head loomed over and clamped its jaws on him. The other heads growled in anger, as if wanting to have a piece of the flesh. While the middle head struggled to swallow its fresh treat, the spectators across the window panel talked among themselves.

"That was easy." Reno yawned.

"He was handicapped." A blond with a bob cut commented.

"Life is never fair, Elena."

Elena ignored him. "So how are you coping, Aerith?"

"Don't mind me." She lied.

She was never good at lying, until she committed a single stupid mistake that changed her life. Now, her very survival in Midgar depended on her ability to lie, to pretend, and to make others believe what they wanted to believe.

It was the same mistake that led to another person's death.

Another dead body in the span of a single year. Because of her.

She had tried to protect him, to push him away, and he ignored her.

When would these deaths end?

From the corner of her eye, Elena noticed beast twitch. "Wait, something's not right."

Aerith returned her gaze to Cerberus, who whimpered and moved restlessly.

A blade protruded from its abdomen, making the beast howl in pain. Then her heart skipped a beat.

Cloud crawled from the beast's innards and dropped on the ground, staining the floor with green fluid and blood. In his hand was the miracle he prayed for.

Zack's Buster Sword.

Bracing himself, he swung the blade over his shoulder, and charged towards the beast.

" _Climhazzard!"_

Aerith couldn't remove her eyes he minced Cereberus' flesh, nor did she flinch when he cast Fire on its carcass. She didn't notice the upheaval in the room, nor Elena's orders to shower the room to contain the flame.

The thick smoke made it difficult to see whether he was still there, or whether he escaped. Aerith had hoped he chose the latter.

He didn't.

She found him standing near the door with his gaze was fixed on her.

He no longer wore the eyes of someone who was betrayed, but rather,, the eyes of a man bent on vengeance.

It was her fault, and she knew it.

Aerith watched as he smiled and raised his hand, flashing a middle finger that spelled war.


	6. 207011

"Look at that pretty little middle finger, Aerith." Reno whistled and nudged her elbows, irritating her. "Hm, is that hope written on your face?"

Evading his curious eyes, Aerith bit the corner of her tongue and kept herself composed. "It's disbelief." She lied smoothly while cursing him in her mind. She could fool others, but not him. It took one to know one.

But she couldn't lie to herself.

She was happy that he survived. Never mind that middle finger. She would go on and endure this life, even if he was no longer beside her. That brief moment at the sandbox was enough to last a lifetime. She would go on with her life, and he would go on too...With her best friend by his side.

* * *

That middle finger was totally unexpected.

Was it for Reno? Or was it for _her?_

He shook his head as he raced through the corridors. The past was always a tricky subject to dwell on. Something he no longer wanted to dwell on.

"Drop your weapon!" a soldier yelled.

Cloud froze, assessing the group of three soldiers blocking his path. Either they killed him, or he killed them first. He tightened his grip on his a large sword had many advantages. A cutting edge. A shield. A bad-ass reputation...but the best advantage was the multiple slots for Materia.

Before Zack left Nibelheim a year ago, he had pulled him aside and implanted a Materia in his body. Cloud grimaced in pain and demanded an explanation.

"The Materia in your body is connected to the one in your sword." Zack pointed to a bluish-green orb embedded on the first slot. "As long as you don't remove it, you can summon your blade wherever you are, or whenever you want."

Cloud's jaw dropped. Summoning a sword? Ha!

"I tried to play _God_." Zack winked, reading his thoughts. "You might need it in the future."

"When my eyes turn green." he joked.

Cloud had smiled at the absurdity of it, but thanked Zack. He had never used the Materia in his body, until that life and death encounter with the Cerberus.

Zack would have laughed at him now.

Cloud easily disarmed the soldiers, but their non-stop assault was beginning to wear him needed another miracle, or he'd end up the same way that three-headed dog was.

A door suddenly opened and a beautiful brown-haired woman gracefully walked out. Their eyes met, catching her off-guard.

 _A miracle._

Swiftly, Cloud lunged and imprisoned her in his arms. "Don't move." He whispered as she struggled against him. "I just want to escape."

Another batch of soldiers arrived, alerting Cloud even further. He placed his sword near his hostage's throat. "Drop your weapons, or I'll slash her throat"

"Listen to him." His hostage pleaded.

It took an eternity before they dropped their guns and his racing heart started to slow down.

Whoever she was, this hostage was an important figure in this building. Slowly, Cloud dragged her to the elevator. She fumbled for a card in her pocket and swiped it near the elevator keys.

"I'm sorry, lady." Cloud uttered, as they boarded the elevator. "Don' t worry, I have no plans to hurt you."

"No one escapes Midgar alive." The woman breathed.

"I am getting tired of that phrase."

"Have you been marked?"

"What's that?"

"I guess not." She shrugged. "Coming here was a mistake, young man."

"You're right." He replied. "I chased after my first love to this place, and she betrayed me."

The bitterness of his voice didn't escape the woman. "People have their own reasons for their actions." she explained. "Even the terrible ones."

He found the conversation odd. "Like taking you for my hostage?"

She smirked.

The elevator door finally opened and Cloud cautiously walked out with his blade in hand. The floor was strangely quiet. Ominous and depressive. No one was in sight, and he feared that this was a trap.

"I admire your courage." She softly whispered, "Your luck ends here."

Two loud gunshots echoed. The woman twisted herself free, leaving Cloud to drop on the ground. A trail of blood trickled from his lip, tasting its bitter and coppery feel as a pool blood seeped from his wound. Fighting to remain conscious, he raised his head to look at her. Damn it, she wore the same smile Aerith did when she told him he wasn't that perfect daughter.

 _My mistake. Shouldn't let myself down...She's just like_ _…_ _them._

A man in a black suit approached appeared. His gun was still in hand. "Did he hurt you, Lucrecia?"

She shook her head. "You shouldn't have gunned him, Vincent. He's a kind boy."

"Your son could do worse." He returned the gun to its holster. "Sephiroth wants him dead."

Lucrecia Crescent stared at Cloud's unconscious form. If her memory was correct, this was the young man Aerith described to her many years ago. The blonde prince charming who arrived too late. And did he sincerely believe that she betrayed him? Ah, if he only knew the entire picture.

Vincent ordered his men to take the body and put in into a black bag, but Lucrecia protested. "I want him."

It took several seconds for him to comprehend her request. "You can't be serious, Lucrecia."

"Am I laughing?"

* * *

Cloud's consciousness faded to an earlier time, where he stood by the feet of the stairs, waiting for Aerith to finish her classes. He had just declined his classmate's offers to attend a party. Thirty minutes had passed when he finally heard her voice.

"Watch your step!" she said. "You're shoelace is untied."

Another voice answered. "Don't worry about—"

What followed was a shriek and a heavy person toppling him down the floor, knocking the breath out of him.

"Are you okay?" .

A pair of russet colored eyes met his. startling him. She was another popular student, if not, _the_ most popular. Her looks even eclipsing Aerith's surreal beauty.

Tifa Lockhart.

"That's supposed to be my line." he managed to reply.

Tifa tried to stand, but whimpered and fell on the ground.

Aerith, in her signature braid and pink ribbons, appeared beside them. "Is she alright Cloud?"

"I think she sprained her ankle."

"You need to see the doctor." she chided Tifa.

"Cool." She giggled. "So I get to be a D.I.D. today."

Acting on his instinct, Cloud carried her in a lovers carry position to the Clinic. His fingers accidentally brushed against he soft edge of her breast. He gulped, hoping she didn't notice it.

The School Doctor was about to lock the Clinic when the three appeared. Tifa smiled amd waved a hand. "You again, Tifa?" The doctor exasperated.

"Hello Doc." she replied cheerfully. "and no, I'm not here because I punched someone."

The doctor instructed her companions to sit outside as he assessed Tifa's condition. Cloud pondered on her early remark. Punched someone? Did she often get into fights? And what did D.I.D mean?

"She's made of sterner stuff." Aerith said, breaking their silence. "That sprained ankle doesn't compare to the bruises I see on her body sometimes."

"Does her family beat her?"

Aerith placed finger on her lip. "You could say she boxes people for a living."

A cute and attractive woman with breasts like hers was a boxer?

...wait, what was he thinking?

He pinched himself. _Snap out of it Cloud Strife._

"You mean that sprain didn't need a doctor's check-up?"

Aerith snickered. "It's fun to play the role of a damsel in distress sometimes."

Cloud didn't know whether to be flattered or not, but at least he knew what D.I.D meant.

"Every woman dreams of their Prince Charming to whisk them away." She continued. "I hope I meet mine soon."

Their conversation was cut short when the doctor called their attention. A simple ice pack on Tifa's ankle was sufficient to let it heal. Because she had difficulty in walking, Cloud and Aerith had escort her home

Cloud carried her all the living room. Aerith was outside, waiting, oblivious to their interaction. He was about to leave when she stopped him. "I haven't even thanked you properly."

"There's no need—"

"I ruined your date with Aerith after all." She placed his hand on her bosom. Soft and firm, it was a dream come true. Blushing, he quickly removed his hand.

Tifa grinned. "You didn't like it?"

"O-o-of course I liked it!" he stammered, until he realized his honest remark and flushed a deep red.

"You're Cloud Strife from the other section, right?"

That was what they called the section for the average students. "Yeah."

"See you tomorrow then." She laughed and winked at him. "I won't tell anyone that you touched my breasts….twice."

Outside, Aerith curiously looked at his flushed face. "What did she say that made you run like a rabbit?"

Too awkward. "It's… a guy thing."

As he slept on his bed that evening, he couldn't help but replay the day's events. _you_ _lucky dog._

He would have been good looking, if he had properly fed and worked out his lanky frame. His crumbling self-confidence needed some help.

He was sure no beautiful woman would even spare a shy and passive skeleton a single glance. But strangely, they did. Closing his eyes, he indulged himself in a fantasy where he was Aerith's Prince Charming, and Tifa was the best friend who was secretly in love with him.

Pink Ribbons and Russet Eyes.

Feeling his eyelids droop, Cloud replayed his fantasies, willing himself to sleep, before reality would bite.

* * *

Cloud opened his eyes, adjusting to the bright fluorescent light. The smell of fresh hospital detergent permeated his nostrils. Pleasant and not too strong. He looked around and saw a tall man in a black suit. His red eyes were carefully observing him.

"The anesthesia's wearing off."

He didn't look familiar. "Where am I?"

"You're in the Infirmary of Shinra Corporation's Headquarters."

Puzzled, neither the place nor the bell rung a bell. The man in the suit understood his predicament.

"The memory loss is a side-effect of the anesthesia during your surgery." He explained. "It's nothing permanent."

Cloud sat and inspected his body. His abdomen was padded with gauze. "How did I get hurt?"

"I shot you."

"Are we friends?"

He paused and briefly considered his response. "You don't shoot a friend."

"Then who are you?"

"Vincent." He replied. "Vincent Valentine."

"Vicent." Cloud repeated. No. It still didn't ring a bell. He wondered how they met, and why he shot him. "I feel like I've forgotten something very important."

"You should rest." He propped Cloud to the bed and draped a blanket over him. "We'll talk once your memories have returned."

"Will you kill me?"

"I can't believe you're asking me that question."

* * *

"So it appears that my wife has a new toy, eh Tseng?"

Tseng stood in front of Hojo, one of Shinra Company's major shareholders. He was neither a handsome man, nor a kind one. His looks were average at best, but his eyes were the first thing a person noticed. A former scientist and employee, his brilliant and ruthless intelligence allowed him to climb the ranks and marry the daughter of one of the founding members.

The other man in the room, Heidegger, was a fat man fond of wearing a military uniform adorned with his medals. He poured himself and Hojo a glass of red wine. "It's that god damn arsonist who burned Honey Bee. Honestly, I don't know what the hell your wife is thinking."

"Lucrecia is a major stockholder of Shinra." Hojo reasoned. "She can damn well give amnesty to anyone she pleases"

"Should we keep an eye on her, sir?" Tseng volunteered.

"Let my wife play with her toy." With a wave of a hand, he dismissed Tseng as he continued the conversation with Heidegger.

Walking across the white hallways, Tseng snorted. Let her play with the toy? As if. He knew Hojo would demand answers, sooner or later. The best course of action was to keep the man under surveillance.

His employment at the Shinra Corporation had been a freak accident. Two decades ago, despair propelled him end his life and jump on the river by Sector Six. His suicide attempt failen when an angel with a stern looking bodyguard appeared.

"I can help you start a new life." She promised him. "Isn't that right, Vincent?"

"I don't think so."

Lucrecia had flashed Tseng sweet smile. "He's my bodyguard. A little dry sometimes, but he's a darling. Will you join us?"

Tseng never knew why she had decided to help him. Enchanted with the angel's irresistible offer, he followed her and promised to repay the kindness she showed him.

He had imagined she was married to an angel as.. And it was a surprise to discover she had married a devil. How could a kind and beautiful lady marry a brutal and selfish cold beast like Hojo, who was hell-bent on destroying every ounce of happiness she had?

Tseng wondered the kind of relationship Lucrecia shared with Hojo. It was obviously not a love match, given the secret looks Lucrecia exchanged with Vincent.

But Tseng knew his place.

As a Turk, there were limits to what he could not do. Asking irrelevant and unnecessary questions was one of them.

Aerith had not been fortunate to follow that.

But still, he wondered Lucrecia's decision to take the arsonist into custody. Palmer, one of the proprietors of the Honey Bee, fumed upon learning Lucrecia's action. It was, after all, a profitable source of income.

…but it wasn't the only source of income for the Shinra Electric Company.

Arriving at his destination, he saw Vincent sitting beside Lucrecia's toy. "How is he?"

"He asks a bunch of stupid questions." He massaged his nose bridge. "I wonder if he'll survive."

Vincent was about to leave when Tseng whispered that only the two of them could hear. "Hojo doesn't have any plans right now... but it's too early to let your guard down."

"Thanks." In response, Vincent dropped an object in Tseng's pocket. "Just in case he does something stupid l."

Tseng was left alone with Cloud. It would be easy to kill him right now. He was a dangerous man who single-handedly killed Cerberus. It wasn't an ordinary feat, and he had to admit that it was impressive.

What surprised him was the blade. The exact replica the black haired man with the blue eyes owned. Tseng hoped this man wouldn't share the same fate that person had. After all, Aerith had suffered enough.

Then the blond's blue eyes opened. Tseng knew that his memories had returned. He immediately took the device Vincent dropped in his pocket and pressed a button. Cloud screamed as an electric current immobilized him.

"I don't want to die." he gritted.

What was his name again? Ah, yes. He remembered. "I'm afraid it's too late for you now, Mr. Cloud Strife."

"Nothing is too late."

"Do you see this?" Cloud fixed his eyes on the small black device Tseng held in hand. "This remote is worse than death."

"That's just a remote."

"This is what will dictate how you live for the rest of your life."

Cloud gaped. "What am I, a slave?"

Tseng, however, smiled. "Welcome to the Shinra Corporation, Property No. 207011."

* * *

 **author's note:**

 **Dear readers, thank you for showing your support by reading every week. I will do my best to tell a wonderful story.**

 **Stay in tune!**


	7. Lucrecia's Proposal

Playing with a fountain pen, Lucrecia's eyes scanned the board members present. Her husband, Hojo, sat across the table, thoroughly engaged with a conversation with Palmer. And Palmer, that wretched fool, barely spared her a glance. He was dissatisfied with her decision to give amnesty to the arsonist, and hastily called for an Emergency Meeting.

As if that would change anything.

Her son, Sephiroth, sat beside his father, oblivious to his surroundings. He was engrossed reading a thick-paged report with a large _Confidential_ stamped on it. No doubt it involved their family business. On his right, Heidegger, sat motionless. Was he dead? She tuned in to the faint sound she heard. Good God, he was snoring! If President Shinra saw him, she knew without a doubt he'd smack him in the head.

"I've didn't know you were into young men, dear." Scarlet purred. "I've seen his video… well endowed, I might say." Her voice was loud enough for Hojo and Sephiroth to stop what they were doing.

Ah, Scarlet. The bane of her existence. How unfortunate that she had to sit beside _her._ An obnoxious woman, Lucrecia had no fondness for Scarlet and her antics. Lucrecia didn't know whether to slap her or not. "You very well know I don't share my men, Scarlet."

Scarlet's eyes widened and Lucrecia continued, "Are you going to gape at me, or do you want to see how _well-endowed_ he is?"

Scarlet snorted and turned her attention to somewhere else. _Good riddance._ One less headache to deal with.

They were waiting for the Chairperson, President Shinra to arrive. He had sent his apologies that he was going to be late to attend a groundbreaking event. Whatever that event was. After several minutes, he finally arrived with his son, Rufus. The members stood and bowed to him. The President thanked and motioned them to sit.

"Let's begin, shall we?"

President Shinra went directly to the heart of the matter. "Palmer is complaining that you took the arsonist into custody."

"I have my reasons," Lucrecia said quickly. "I don't see why he needs to question my decision, nor his decision to organize this emergency meeting."

"Such arrogance." Scarlet remarked.

Rufus tapped his pen on the table. "How can an arsonist be dangerous?"

"See for yourself." Sephiroth pressed a remote control, revealing a wide screen LCD that played the events in Honey Bee and Cerberus. A retelling of how he burned and whisked away Aerith, only to be eaten by dog and with some miraculous plight, slice himself from the belly of a beast.

"He has a strong potential to be a Turk." Lucrecia commented.

"The Turks?" Palmer banged a plump hand on the table and Lucrecia tried to suppress her laughter over his red-face. "Have you gone nuts, Lucrecia?"

She didn't like to be shouted at.

Equally banging a slender hand on the table, she directly looked at him. "Let me remind that _I_ provided you the funds to build Honey Bee, and _I_ can provide the funds to rebuild it." Palmer stiffened, unprepared by her response.

President Shinra tucked his hands beneath his chin. "She has a point, Palmer."

"How do you plan to control him, mother?" Sephiroth asked.

"He is _Marked_ _."_ her promptly replied.

That seemed to placate President Shinra's concern. "Then I see no problem. Control him like you treat Vincent, and I will not meddle in your affairs."

Lucrecia's lip twitched at his remark on Vincent. "And my husband does not object, isn't that right, darling?" she saucily smiled at him—A plastic gesture, like the dozens she would shower on when she was determined to obtain her wishes.

Hojo saw through it and returned her fake, insincere smile. "As long as he doesn't bring you to a sandbox Lucrecia, you can do anything as you please."

Lucrecia tried not to squirm. "You're the best husband!" _God,_ _I need to wash my hands._

The meeting had ended pleasantly… almost. And she was glad it was over.

Vincent was adjusting his necktie when he caught the bright red color of Lucrecia's heels. She was, as always, elegantly dressed and composed. Her sherry brown eyes, though, revealed a different story.

"How did the board meeting go?"

"A circus led by a monkey named Palmer."

She moved closer to him, pressing her forehead on his chest, indulging herself in his warmth. As long as he was beside her, she could endure anything...

But he had to destroy her fantasy.

Vincent slowly grasped her arms and pushed her away. She looked into his face, trying to understand his action. As if her mere presence burned him.

She knew why.

"Vincent, I—"

A loud scream broke their brief interlude, making Vincent thankful for the respite. "He's awake."

 _Drats._ "Who's inside?"

"Tseng."

* * *

"How the fuck did I become a property number—"

Another jolt of electricity shot him for another good ten seconds. Panting, he flashed an accusing glance at the long-haired man.

"Oops," Tseng looked at the device. "Did I press that?"

"You did it on purpose!"

"Vincent told me to use it in case you did something stupid."

"Is asking questions stupid—" Another bolt of electricity silenced him, making Cloud writhe in pain. _Damn it!_ He didn't survive the belly of a three-headed dog just to be electrocuted by a sadistic piece of bastard. If he could just summon his Buster Sword…

Footsteps echoed in the room. "Did you fry him, Tseng?"

 _That voice._

Cloud could barely turn his head, thanks to the electric shock. From a peripheral point of view, he recognized the woman- _his hostage._ She donned a white laboratory coat over a knee-length red dress. She was beautiful, with her long brown hair cascading over her back, tied and complemented with a yellow ribbon. Perhaps she was in her late thirties? There was a youthful glow in her. She could be older, but not that it mattered, because she was a truly beautiful woman.

"My finger slipped." Tseng answered flatly.

"I know you can come up with a better excuse," She sighed, rubbing her temples. You could have killed him…and I think my son and Palmer would have liked that." She inched several steps toward Cloud. "So let's see how you're doing."

He clearly saw her sherry brown eyes for the first time and frowned.

Her appearance unsettled him and the faint perfume reminded him of Aerith. She could have been a mature version of her, or even an older sister. Could she be a long lost relative, and the reason why she abandoned Elvira?

"Not even a hello?" Tenderly, her warm hand brushed against his hair. "You're handsome chap without all that grime and dirt."

"Why do I have a property number?"

She pulled her hand away and sharply looked at Tseng. "I'm starting to hate you for taking my lines, Tseng."

"I'm sorry."

Finally, Cloud was able to move his head, recognizing the man who stood beside Tseng. _Vincent_. He impassively stood there, like an oak tree, without a trace of sympathy or feelings. As if he was a machine. He wore the exact same outfit as Tseng. Wait. Didn't Reno and Aerith wore the same attire as well?

Was the black suit a uniform for a cult-like organization?

Unable to mask his curiosity, he asked Lucrecia, "Who are you?"

Genuine surprise filled her face. "We haven't formally introduced ourselves, have we? My name is Lucrecia Crescent and I currently manage the Public Relations Division. We have to make the Corporation marketable to people."

"You're not telling me everything."

"You're right, I'm fond of telling lies." She confessed. "That's how I survived."

There something about her expression that was vaguely familiar. As if he heard those lines before. He quickly dismissed the thoughts. "My name's Cloud Strife."

"A mercenary from Nibelheim."

How did she know that?

"We have the best intelligence unit." She answered, as if reading his thoughts.

"You should have let me rot with those gunshot wounds."

"You can't die yet," Lucrecia batted an eyebrow. "not until you take what I'm offering you."

"I'm not interested."

She arched a brow. "I'm offering you an opportunity of a life time. You can't go to afterlife with unfinished business."

"I just want my freedom."

She gave him a self-deprecating smile. "You don't really want that."

And _she_ knew what he wanted? Cloud grunted. "Feel free to put words in my mouth then."

She softly caressed his face. Her hand was so warm, almost maternal in touch. "I'm afraid we can't discuss it here."

"Thank you for prolonging my agony."

"The walls have ears, Cloud." She reminded him. "and the hills have eyes. Sandbox sexy time, remember?"

He didn't want another reminder of that brief happiness. Nor the idea that someone else had actually seen that private moment.

Not looking at the two men, she asked, "How many hidden cameras are in here?"

"Approximately fifteen." Tseng answered.

"It's twenty," Vincent countered. "You missed five."

Cloud blinked and darted his eyes around. He couldn't find a single camera. There were a that many cameras? Were these people… god like?

"Let's talk in my office." She assured him. "There aren't hidden cameras in there."

With a wave of her hand, Tseng produced a wheelchair and assisted Cloud to sit on it. The intravenous fluid was hooked on the pole built on it.

"You're going to wheel me?"

"As if I had a choice." Tseng replied.

"Worst ride of my life."

"What did you say?"

Cloud feigned a sincere smile. "This is first class service I ever got in my life."

* * *

One word best described Lucrecia's office. _Cozy._

Clean and sparkling, it reminded him of his mother's home, after a good housekeeping day. Tseng wheeled Cloud beside the sofa.

"How many cameras?" Lucrecia asked once more.

Tseng and Vincent looked around. "None." Came the unison reply.

She shook a finger. "You missed a spot."

The two looked as if a truck was about to hit them. Laughing, she retracted her statement. "I'm just kidding. Can you leave us alone? I would like to speak with him...privately."

Unable to resist, Cloud stuck out his tongue. Tseng's lip twitched and left the room. Vincent simply nodded and vanished.

Alone, Cloud started to relax. The dripping sounds of the IV line could be heard, prolonging the tension of what was to come.

"Am I a slave?"

"That's an old and unfashionable term.I prefer to call you an employee."

Cloud didn't look convinced, and Lucrecia sighed. "Yes, you're a slave." She handed him a folder full of pictures. Inside contained images, or mugshots, of Shinra Employees. The shots included a weird marking on their nape. "Each Shinra Employee is marked and numbered. No, don't give me that look. When I came to work here, that's the standard practice."

Cloud touched his nape, cursing the blasted mark for taking away his freedom. "Is this the reason why I can't escape Midgar?"

"That's only half of the equation." She raised the device Tseng had used. "Every Shinra employee has a chip implanted in their body and the location is different for every person."

"What's so special about that chip?"

"It's a tracker and a bomb."

So _that_ was what Reno meant.

"Shinra employees can't leave Midgar without an authorized purpose. If someone decided to turn a new leaf and escape, all we have to do is press this button." She showed him a red button on the remote control. There were a lot of buttons. Could she have accidentally detonated a bomb in her life?

"Your gunshot wound was convenient. But no, your chip isn't embedded there."

"Where then?"

"That's a secret," she grinned, toying with the device. "Don't even dare and try to remove it from your body. It's programmed to detonate if it's removed without proper protocols."

Damn. A bomb was in his body and he couldn't even remove it. "Okay. My hands are tied. So what is this _opportunity of a lifetime_ you're bragging to me?"

"You don't want freedom," she answered. "You want closure. You want to know what happened to Aerith."

His ears perked up. "How do you know her?"

"I'm not telling you."

Even if she was old enough to have a son as old as him, she was behaving like a teenager. "Don't hold back on my account."

"Who said I was holding back?"

She was starting to get irritated. _Good move, Cloud._

Lucrecia read his thoughts perfectly well and mockingly smiled at him. "And no, I am not irritated."

"All right, spill it."

She frowned. "You're giving up that easily?" she reclined on her chair and twirled a lock of hair. "I expected more resistance from you."

"The anesthesia's wearing off and my abdomen hurts," he replied. "I need to go back to the infirmary."

"I think I could punch you for that."

She was lovely, but crazy. "Are you high nuts?"

"Funny, that's what Palmer asked me earlier, but no." she lazily folded her hands under her chin. "I just wanted to play with you."

She was an infurirating woman, even more than Aerith.

"I want you to be a Turk under my direct supervision."

A cult?

"What's that?"

"It's a special division within the Shinra Company. The Department of Administrative Research. It sounds strange, yes? But they're known as the Turks. They do… the dirty jobs."

"Why should I join the _Turks,_ when I'm a Shinra Employee?"

"The Turks is a specialized division." She replied. "There are numerous benefits. And when you're a Turk… you can easily work with me and learn more about her."

"Your kindness makes me doubt your intentions."

"My kindness is my problem, not yours."

"I don't see how this is a once in a life time opportunity."

She stopped playing with her hair, and in a serious tone said, "Vincent was about to deliver you the morgue before I stopped him. You could have been turned to a Soylent Green. Would you prefer to die without knowing why she behaved the way she does? Doesn't that even pique your curiosity, Cloud?"

He stiffened. "What makes you think I'm interested in her? She betrayed me."

"The black haired man cared enough to rescue her."

 _What Black-haired man?_

"Zack?"

"Was that his name?"

 _Was?_

"What happened to Zack?" He demanded, beginning to spin out of control.

"Calm down."

He didn't, and Lucrecia was forced to use the bloody device. He struggled with the pain for a few seconds, gasping for air.

"I'm not a dog." He hated whatever was in his body, like an invisible leash, restricting his freedom.

"You're behaving like one." She retorted.

"How do I become a Turk?"

"You'd become a Turk to know what happened to that black haired man?" she frowned. "Were you lovers?"

"That's none of your business."

"I think I should call Vincent to escort you to the morgue—"

"No wait, yes. I'll accept whatever you want me to do."

She smiled. "I knew you'd come to your senses."

He didn't like how things were going. He was like a puppet, and she was pulling the strings. He never wanted to do anything with Aerith again… but Zack.. if Zack had been to this hell hole…

"What do I need to do to become a Turk?"

"Eager, aren't you?" She stood from her chair and walked to him. "Once you're wounds are healed, you'll need to undergo an Initiation."

"Like hazing?" When someone was determined to join a sorority or a fraternity.

"Somewhat."

"Tseng and Vincent went through that as well?"

"Yes."

That Vincent seemed to be loyal to her. But Tseng…"Does that long-haired man work for you?"

She looked like she didn't want to answer his question. "He currently works for my husband."

"Why do I get this feeling you're not on good terms with your husband?"

She laughed huskily. "Perceptive, aren't you? That's why I like you. But you should remember this… A turk should know their place. Asking Irrelevant questions aren't part of their job."

"But I'm not a Turk yet."

"Witty," she remarked. "My personal life is none of your business, do you understand?"

She could ask his, but not hers? "Got it."

The nice lady façade had disappeared. "My help isn't free... You have to work for it."

 _like a dog_. "I thought you were going to tell me what happened to her."

She titled her head, curling her lips. "And Where would be the thrill in that?"

* * *

 **Author's note:**

 **I realized that The Flower from Midgar isn't a story for everyone. It's dark. It's gloomy. And Aerith isn't the pure person for Cloud. Despite that, I'm thankful for the people who show up every update to read this story.**

 **To Rina Rose, thank you! I wanted this story to be interesting, and I'm glad you saw it that way. I'm committed to update every Sunday at 6:00 PM (+08:00)**


	8. Roses, Flower Seeds and Aerith's past

Aerith Gainsborough treasured several possessions, but most especially a potted plant brought to her a year ago. The plant's existence was a kept secret. If Sephiroth had known about it, he would confiscate and destroy it right in front of her. As long as it was hidden in a secret corner of her room, everything would be fine.

Until today.

"That's a cute fat plant."

Aerith paled when Reno appeared out of nowhere and saw _it._ He had no right to ask. He had no right to see. Now that her long kept secret was open, it would only take his mouth to spill everything and destroy the single thing that held her sanity intact.

"What would it take to keep your mouth shut?"

There. She said it. No preliminaries. Just plain honesty. All that remained was he take the request and leave her.

But he didn't.

Reno ignored her request and crouched beside her, and touching the satiny soft to read her thoughts, his reply calmed her. "Don't worry." He blurted. "I won't tell Sephiroth."

"Name your price."

Looking offended, he puffed his cheeks and made a face. "I can be a nice guy."

Aerith shrugged, unsure of how to deal with him.

"I'm surprised Sephiroth doesn't know about this."

"I bought it."

She was lying, and he knew it. He shrugged and rumpled his thick red locks. "Because I'm a good guy, I'll just forget we even had this conversation."

No, he wasn't saying this for nothing. This was a trap. A secret fear burned in her chest, telling her she'd regret it. Sephiroth had assigned Reno to be her _bodyguard…Ha!_ As if she needed protection from her tormentor.

Reno's job was simple- keep an eye on her, or stop any idiot who helped her escape.

So far, there had been two idiots. One died, while the other was still kicking and very much alive.

Reno seemed to know about the second idiot pervading her mind. "I heard he's recovered. Man, Ms. Lucrecia seems to have great plans for him. Had him injected with numerous substances." He continued.

"And she wants him to be a Turk." Aerith added.

Reno sighed. "An unfortunate dude, ain't he?"

* * *

A surgery wound took three or four months to heal, but Cloud's had only taken less than a month. The recovery speed and the physical changes astounded him. His eyes, a brilliant shade of dark blue, began to glow. Whatever they fed or injected him seemed to be the cause.

"That's the Mako Energy's side effect." Lucrecia explained , while he checked himself in the mirror.

"What's Mako?" Cloud asked.

"The energy Shinra harvests. It was primarily used as a fuel, but my husband saw multiple possibilities for it. He believed it would boost the Midgar's military power and injected it on several soldiers. It didn't have the results he originally expected, but found it hasten cellular recovery."

"Your husband is a scientist?"

"That's how he was employed here. What did you expect?"

"A businessman?" Cloud replied, stroking his chin. "I wonder what kind of a man he is." He had glimpsed her husband in the hallway by accident. Lucrecia was engaged in a deep conversation with him. Observing them from afar, Cloud had difficulty in reconciling how different they were.

A vivacious sun, paired with an aloof and dreadful moon. How could he have married her, he thought. But it was none of his business. _No asking of irrelevant questions._

"A person you curse and regret meeting." She answered him with a pensive smile.

Her answer floored wasn't the answer of a wife in love with her husband, but of a woman trapped in hell. Fortunately, she changed the subject. "How does your wound feel?"

"Better."

"That's good. Your initiation is scheduled next week."

That blasted initiation. "I need to practice."

"There's no need. You'll do just fine."

 _I hope so._

* * *

His day of reckoning came as he faced a sea of people in black suits. The unbearable silence made his knees wobble, even if he tried to hide it. Lucrecia refused to divulge anything about his _Initiation._ But he was damn sure it was not the usual hazing for fraternity or sorority wannabes.

Lucrecia was nowhere in sight. She didn't even allow him the chance to practice. Weeks without training cost him his hard-earned muscles. Carrying a large 20-kilogram blade was, after all, was a workout in itself. He tried to be as calm as possible, focusing on the figure on the platform.

Three bowls full of paper were placed beside Tseng. "Mr. Cloud Strife, your test will be determined by these bowls." He drew one lot and raised it for everyone to see. "A Rose Duel." He said. "The objective of this test is to destroy your enemies' roses before they destroy yours."

 _That was the initiation_? He expected more, not this…lame duel.

Tseng drew another unfolded paper in the second bowl. "Written on this sheet of paper is the number of Turks you'll be fighting. It ranges from one to five hundred."

 _Five hundred Turks?_ Cold sweat began to mat his forehead as he clenched his teeth. "Three." Relief came when Tseng announced the number.

 _Yes!_ He was still one god damn lucky dog. He was cornered and fought a dozen beasts before. Three Turks were small fry.

Moving to the third bowl, he plucked two sheets of paper. "The names on these papers will be your enemies. Should you win, you will be one of us. Should you lose, they deserve the honor to kill you."

Lucrecia _did not_ explain that. Since coming to Midgar, why was his life always on the line?

"Will they die if they lose?"

"That's an irrelevant question."

Oh, yes. The Turks and their obsession with irrelevant questions.

"Reno."

 _Oh, Great. That guy, again._

"Rude."

 _What kind of a parent would give a child that name?_

"Aerith."

 _She can actually fight?_

Lucrecia had dangled bits and pieces of information about Aerith, divulging nothing that explained what happened to her, but more on how she spent her days as a Turk. Apparently, she was initiated into the Department for almost a year now.

Reno, Rude and Aerith walked forward, taking the roses Tseng gave them. Cloud was handed a yellow rose. His life, Zack's fate and Aerith mystery hung on this little thorny flower.

He took his time observing the three Turks' weapons of choice. Rude used his bare hands. Reno had a retractable stick, and… where did Aerith learn how to use a steel rod?

 _That's not an important question, Cloud. You gotta survive this, fight. Everything depends on it._

Summoning his buster sword, he armed and braced himself.

Reno called out for him. "Nice to see you again, Cloud."

Cloud snorted in reply.

"Well, good luck in this fight." He added. "Don't underestimate Aerith. It looks like a steel rod, but that damn thing's heavy. Heavier than your large blade."

" _Fight!"_

 _Don't show any mercy._ Cloud lunged towards Rude, who dodged the swipe of his blade. He counterattacked with a punch. Rude's ham-sized fists hardly caused a dent on his blade. Aerith used her steel rod, clashing with Cloud's blade. Reno wasn't kidding. Aerith's weapon unbalanced and knocked him away. He stood and tried to charge, aiming for the flower. A sudden gust of wind blew him away. Shit. Wind Materia.

 _Too could play the same game._

He cast Lightning on the nearest target. Aerith's Steel Rod and Reno's Stick attracted the bolts, and they screamed with the shock.

Once recovered, Reno lunged at him once more and tried to slash his rose. Damn it, they were like pests, constantly hammering him. If this continued…

 _Think Cloud, Think._

With all his strength and experience, Cloud miraculously slashed the roses from Rude and Reno's chests. The two men stared at him, stunned. All that was left was Aerith… who charged forward, about to pluck the dainty little flower in his pocket.

He didn't escape the belly of a beast, nor was he gunned down for nothing. With quick reflexes, his fingers darted for her rose, twisting his torso so she couldn't touch his. Then he knocked her down, pinning his body on hers. Breathing heavily, their eyes locked for the first time after their conversation in the dungeon.

"You shouldn't have accepted her offer."

"Are you playing the concerned friend after ditching me in that white room?" he sneered. "Sorry, I don't buy that." He stood up, his eyes not wavering from hers. "What you say doesn't matter…. _You_ don't matter. I wish I hadn't left Tifa for you. That was a huge mistake on my part."

For a moment, her mask cracked, allowing him a glimpse of the old Aerith in her eyes. Pain. Hurt. Dejection. Damn it. He didn't want to hurt her, but she had hurt and betrayed him. Cloud tried to harden his heart. She was faking it, yes. That was the only probably explanation. She faked everything.

Nothing good would come out of trusting her again.

* * *

Lucrecia's soft clapping greeted him. "Great job, Cloud. You're officially a member of the Turks."

Cloud wasn't in the mood to celebrate. "Did you set that up?"

Confused, she titled her head before comprehending his statement. "Your duel with Aerith?" she huskily laughed. "Of course not. Some people are just unlucky."

He didn't know whether it was him or Aerith. "What will happen to her?"

Lucrecia slowly shook her head. "You're already breaking one of the cardinal rules, Cloud."

Asking irrelevant questions. Right. "I'm starting to hate these rules."

"They don't care whether you hate them or not." She motioned for Vincent to come forward. "You should try to be more like Vincent. He's been with me since we were teenagers. My father assigned him to me and he's the only person I care for…and my son. Even if he changed from the young boy I raised, I still love him." She clutched the fabric of Vincent's black suit, pressing her forehead against his arm. That simple gesture told Cloud that she had no love for her husband, but for her bodyguard.

"What do you want me to do?"

"I'll help you with Aerith." She spoke. "But you must do something for me in return."

"This is a trap, but I don't know how exactly it is."

"Silly Cloud." Lucrecia laughed while Vincent stood like a brick wall. Did the man ever smile?

"Have you ever heard of Hercules?" she asked Cloud.

"That zero-to-hero guy from a Disney movie?"

"Don't believe in everything Disney packages." She grinned. "Life doesn't always have a HEA."

"HEA?"

"Happily Ever After." She spelled out. "In the original mythology, Hercules killed his wife, and to save her soul, he was tasked to accomplish twelve missions."

"You want me to become Hercules."

"You're not a demi-god, so I figured a single mission will suffice."

He sighed. "Thanks for the consideration, Ms. Lucrecia."

"Your sarcasm is appreciated." She snickered.

Cloud crossed his arms, wondering what his mission would be. "So what do you want me to do?"

"It's simple." she removed herself from Vincent's periphery and approached him. Cloud was taller than Lucrecia, but at this moment, he felt he was… smaller. Without hesitation, she commanded, "I want you to kill my husband."

He had taken several odd jobs as a mercenary. Murder wasn't one of them.

"Are you crazy?"

"I wish you good luck."

"I could get killed."

"That's your problem."

Great. Just great.

Cloud's expression was too much for Lucrecia, and she burst into laughter. Lightly slapping his cheek, she cleared matters. Look at your face. I was just kidding. Killing Hojo is a difficult task, unfortunately. If it were that simple, I would have succeeded a long time ago." She paused a bit, before adding. "Not that I didn't try."

She took a Tablet, pressing several buttons. A hologram appeared, projecting a map of an underground location. "I want you to retrieve an item from the Midgar's Underground Sewerage System."

Another lame task? "Why didn't you order Vincent or any other Turk?"

"I don't trust the other Turks. Vincent would be too obvious." She remarked. With a red laser, she pointed out several pathways, explaining the number of floors, and the number of sensors and cameras. Strangely, there was a blank area on the map. That was the place she wanted him to visit.

"What if they think I escaped?"

"Your mission is recorded." Lucrecia assured him. "Every Turk's official business is monitored and recorded. That's how they tracked you and Aerith at the sandbox."

"Did you watch us?"

She looked appalled. "I'm not a voyeur."

Vincent, who was quiet the entire time, coughed, "Lying is bad, Lucrecia."

"Oh, alright. I'm not a voyeur, but I couldn't resist."

Cloud didn't know whether to slap himself or not.

* * *

No matter how extravagant Midgar's exterior was, Its splendor couldn't hide the sprawling mess its sewerage system became .A damp and murky place, unfit for any living and breathing human. The first few levels were clean, but descending further, the molds began to reveal, and the hidden nasty critters who awaited to feast on his flesh were a bummer.

His new black suit made him uncomfortable. He loosened the black neck tie and unbuttoned the upper portion of the white polo. He didn't brimg his weapon, knowing he could summon it if he wanted to. But Lucrecia gave him a 35-liter bag to stash any item he encountered.

Finally, he arrived at his destination. Cloud searched for every nook and corner, clearing every debris and stashing the objects he found in his 35 liter black mountain bag.

A sparkle from a corner caught his eye. Curious, he took the object in his hand. A shining seed.

White in color, it was almost the size of a walnut. There were several seeds scattered on the ground, and Cloud deduced that a flowerbed must have existed before. That would explain the greenery around the place.

He put the seeds in the bag, and finding no other object to take, returned to the door, only to be greeted with the sharp hiss of blade.

"So, we meet again, Cloud." The cold chilling voice said.

The same voice from the same despicable man he met many years ago. Cloud swung around to see a handsome silver-haired man with light green eyes. When he first met him, he was dumbstruck with Sephiroth's striking looks. Features, he realized, that he inherited from Lucrecia. The cruelty of Sephiroth's smile and demeanor were from the father. Unfortunately.

Lucrecia's words ran in his head. _some people are just unlucky._

"You haven't changed." Cloud remarked. "Your mother sent me on a mission."

"So tells the report." Sephiroth replied. "Hand me whatever you retrieved."

"I'm afraid not." Cloud answered. "I only answer to your mother."

"That's what Aerith replied, before my mother gave her to me."

Another plot twist. When would these plot twists end?

"I'm sorry. Can't give you whatever you're telling me. You have to kill me first." He joked.

"Don't worry." Sephiroth moved forward. "I'll make it look like an accident."

This guy was serious.

Immediately, he summoned his blade. Sephiroth moved with frightening speed. Cloud called for ChocoMog, and instead of having him attack Sepiroth, chose rode the beast.

He couldn't kill Sephiroth. Not yet. He was his master's son, and right now, handing Lucrecia the objects he collected were far more valuable. Plus, the ChocoMog Summon had a limited spawn time. It would vanish. And … shit.

Sephiroth was running behind him. had to create a distraction. There were barrels… and he cast Fire on them.

The Barrels exploded, obscuring the sewerage with smoke. Mog disappeared, leaving Cloud to drop on the floor. He ran, finally reaching the entrance.

Vincent was standing outside, casually lighting a cigarette. Heaving, Cloud stared at him. "Were you there the entire time?"

"Maybe."

"Then you could have stopped Sephiroth from killing me."

"I'm just a dog." He reminded Cloud. "And us dogs, have no right to order our masters."

Cloud didn't like that. "He could have killed me, and I would have never accomplished the mission she tasked me."

"That's your problem." He threw Lucrecia's remark at him. "Not my problem."

Angrily, he marched out, and Vincent casually strolled and followed him.

He would definitely like to see a reaction from his stuck up face. Hm.

Lucrecia, was ecstatic when Cloud returned alive. Setting the collected items on the table, and poured over them. Her eyes strayed to the sparkling seed, and she flashed a smile.

"Thank you for bringing these over Cloud."

"Your son almost killed me."

Alarmed, she gasped. "How typical. Damn." Her brows wrinkled.

Cloud wondered why she was damning her own beloved son. "He told me you gave Aerith to him. What exactly did he mean by that?"

"You'll know soon enough."

"What? I'm not going to be shot down because I'm asking an irrelevant question."

"That happens to be a relevant one." She answered. "You'll know, in proper time."

"I met him in Nibelheim years ago." He didn't know why he was telling her this. "He was Aerith's partner at our school dance."

Lucrecia didn't blink. "He told me he had a penpal there. I didn't know it was her." She dismissed him and he wandered outside, only to be surprised when he locked eyes with Aerith again.

"What are you doing here?"

"Lucrecia called for me."

"Sephiroth told me she gave you to him."

Silence. "You're stating the obvious."

"You're not her dog."

"I _was_ her dog."

"Good luck." And he moved away, but not before adding. "So you were penpals with him, huh?"

No response from her.

"I'll know what happened to Zack, and I'll find a way to escape this place."

Aerith stiffened upon hearing Zack's name. "Good luck." Was her only reply, before entering Lucrecia's office.

Damn, he walked away. Wondering why he was still feeling a painful feeling in his chest.

* * *

Several missions and three months later, Lucrecia called Cloud to her office. She lounged on the sofa, with popcorn and a glass of soda in hand. Vincent stood near the entrance, like an invisible wall, as usual.

"Sit beside me." She instructed. "Have a drink. It's a special brew of Soda."

"Is this poisoned?"

"Thinking like a Turk already, I see."

Cloud drank the soda anyway. "What's this?" Referring to fhe office's set-up. Vincent switched off the lights, only the light projecting from an LCD projector was shown.

"We're watching a movie."

Lucrecia could be crazy, at times. "What's showing?"

Her lip curled into a knowing smile. "A documentary."

The film played. Cloud realized it was a footage from the CCTV cameras inside Honey Bee. There were numerous women. Beautiful women, and they well all stripped and dressed in provocative clothing. They were lined-up and paraded on a block. The expressions on their face disturbed him. As if they were high on drugs, or what. To his horror, he heard people offer for them, as high as 100,000 Gil.

"Harvesting Mako Energy isn't Shinra's only source of income." Lucrecia said, her face devoid of emotion.

"You buy and sell human flesh."

"No." She corrected. "We kidnap and sell human flesh."

Holy. Just what kind of a person was she? What kind of a mess hole did he dive into?"

The voice from the film called his attention once more. "Our next auction is a lovely woman from the province of Nibelheim. Standing at five feet and three inches, she's every dirty old man's secret fantasy-"

Cloud turned his head away, disgusted with what he was hearing. Vincent was suddenly behind him and forced his head into the projected display.

"You should watch this," she said. "Don't you know how difficult to obtain these footages after you burned Honey Bee to the ground?"

"You sold her like a pig!" He snarled.

She looked at him blankly, not hearing his accusation. "You've helped me a lot, Cloud. I just wanted to return the favor. So look at it... look at the entire documentary and understand what happened to her to guide your decisions. I'll only show this once, and I'll destroy the footages after. So watch it hard and well, Cloud. It's the only chance you've got, since she'll never tell you everything."

"You sick, crazy woman-" Vincent tightened his grip on his head. "I'll never forgive you!"

The footage continued to play, and Aerith's dignity, or whatever was left of it, crumbled as the numbers went higher.

"I heard she raked in a lot of money that night." Lucrecia said.

"Sold!" The unseen announcer screamed in delight. "Sold for one million Gil to Sephiroth."

That broke the camel. He was going to kill that bastard.

One way or another.

* * *

 **Author's note:**

I took a temporary day-off last Sunday. Well, no. Honestly, I got so busy that I forgot to work on this chapter. The chapter you've read was supposed to be Chapter 8-9. But I decided to compress it into one because I'm about to end this story in Chapter 11-13. Yep.

If I allowed this story to drag until 20 chapters, I wouldn't know how this would end.

To the people who show up every Sunday to read an update, THANK YOU! FFM's pace will hasten in the succeeding chapters... So keep reading! Leave a comment below if you can too!


	9. What happened to Aerith: Part 1

Elvira's kindness and generosity was well-known in the tiny town of Nibelheim. Growing up as her adopted daughter, Aerith had never heard her speak ill of anyone. That was, until the day she introduced Sephiroth to her. His arrival in their life brought the worst in Elvira, and Aerith couldn't understand why. Her remarks about him, cynical and judgmental, puzzled Aerith.

"His charm is one reason to stay away from him." Elvira cautioned.

"Why?"

"I know a snake when I see one." She quipped before disappearing into the house.

In hindsight, her mother's advice had proven correct, but her eighteen-year old self believed otherwise. Aerith had faith in people's kindness and generosity. When you helped someone, they would help you in return.

She was wrong.

It took one afternoon to change the trajectory of her life. Throughout the six years that followed, Aerith Gainsborough realized that ruminating over spilled milk did nothing but deepen the feelings of pain and regret.

Aerith could never blot the wretched memory the day she laid eyes on a silver-haired prince. After all, how could any teenager ignore the fluttering butterflies in their stomach in front of a handsome man?

The only problem was that the handsome man was just the facade of a vile beast within. She had been young to comprehend its nature, and she bitterly paid the price.

Aerith had never seen him before. Tall, with striking long silver hair and lime green eyes, and a face that could be best described as breathtaking. His white wrinkle-free long-sleeved polo was immaculate and the black slacks and black pointed shoes were spotless.

If there was one word to describe him, it would be _anomaly._ He didn't fit in the rustic backdrop of Nibelheim, and she wondered how such a man would end up here. She was too shy to ask.

"Your flowers have a different glow about them." the stranger remarked. "You've grown these with love and care."

Aerith bundled the Sunflowers and Stargazers he had chosen. The Stargazer's sweet and potent fragrance made her giddy with delight. "I've been growing flowers since I was a child."

"A flower lady." He replied.

"Oh, I've been called that a lot."

"You're the prettiest flower lady I've ever seen."

Aerith shook her head. "Don't say that until you've seen my best friend, Tifa."

"Does she grow flowers too?"

"No."

The stranger revealed a dimple on his right cheek as he smiled. "Then you deserve the honor of being the prettiest _flower lady."_

A blush crept across Aerith's cheeks. Years of hearing Tifa called the _prettiest_ and _most beautiful_ unconsciously made her feel inferior, making her spurn any words of appreciation. Appreciation from this handsome prince was a different matter.

A taller man appeared, sporting his long black hair in a ponytail and peculiar red dot sat on his forehead. He bent his head to whisper to her customer, making him frown. With regret in his eyes, the silver-haired man gave his payment and dropped a sheepish smile. "I would love to stay longer, but I have business to attend to."

He was acting as if she was a ditched lover. "Have fun." She mused.

The man smiled again, and his gaze locked with hers. A whisper on his lips before he entered his car and drove away. "Good bye, Aerith."

Startled, she didn't respond, wondering how he could have learned her name.

Two weeks later, the silver-haired man appeared to purchase her entire Flower Cart. No one had ever bought a cart full of flowers from her. Flowers were a beautiful accessory to decorate one's home. A bouquet or two was a pleasant gift for a loved one… but an entire cart?

"Are these for a funeral?" she blurted, wondering what the occasion was.

Laughing, the man shook his head. "I bought your flowers to my mother in Midgar, and she loved them."

Her eyes sparkled like emeralds. Swallowing, she couldn't help but exclaim. " _You're from Midgar?"_ Elvira's tales of Midgar's ruined beauty and potential haunted Aerith. Although her mother had intended to warn Aerith from the perils of a dangerous city, it had the opposite effect, piquing the little girl's interest. Questions escaped her as she prodded the man to share about Midgar's lifestyle. The people. The food. The culture. Amused, the man patiently answered her questions.

"I'd like to relocate to Midgar one day." Aerith didn't understand why she was telling this to a person she just met twice.

"Nibelheim's a lovely town."

"and boring." She admitted. "I prefer more action."

The stranger arched a brow. "Your mother might get angry if she heard that."

Aerith put a palm over her mouth and feigned indignation. "She won't, and she never will." Because she could never repay Elvira's kindness and hospitality with that statement.

Sensing the topic's sensitivity, the stranger was wise enough to change it. "Do you have Tulips?" he asked.

"I'm about to harvest a full bed in two or three days' time. You can visit my flower garden behind my house, if you like."

Grinning, he propped a finger under his chin. "Your mother might get mad that you're inviting a stranger into your house."

He was charming and she couldn't help but wink at him. "I suppose you should give me your name, because I don't remember giving you mine."

"Sephiroth Crescent." He answered. "Twenty-two years old, and your name… ah, let's say Nibelheim is a tiny town."

What a unique name. _Sephiroth._

"Care for a ride home?" he offered.

"Can I trust you?"

His lip curled. "I don't kidnap girls with pink ribbons."

"I've never been inside a car before."

Sephiroth looked surprised. "I'll make it a wonderful experience."

Tapping on the window, a red-haired man with red markings underneath his eyes walked out of the black car. "Reno, walk the cart to the hotel."

"Yes, Sir."

"If Tseng asks where I am, tell him I'm driving Ms. Aerith home."

Reno glanced at her, and though he didn't speak a word, Aerith knew what he wanted to say. _Hi there pretty stuff! You're the reason why I'm going to walk miles with a Flower Cart in hand._

Aerith spent the travel time surveying the sleek interior, grazing her hand across the cool dashboard. Sephiroth pressed several buttons, and a glass of punch materialized from the corner the dashboard. She politely refused it.

"Not even a sip?" He remarked, drinking the orange-colored punch.

"I'm not interested."

"You must be the perfect daughter." He teased. "Good girl."

Sephiroth's presence startled Elvira. Unlike Aerith who looked at him with admiration, Elvira treated him with a brick wall of cold reserve. Not even his intent to purchase the Tulip flower bed caused a dent. "I'll do a quick recount of the flowers." Elvira curtly said. "Please entertain Mr. Crescent, Aerith."

Elvira had always used a client's first name to establish rapport. Setting her doubts aside, Aerith served him with a slice of homemade Apple pie. Sephiroth munched a forkful of the pie and sighed with pleasure as the warm dessert dissolved in his mouth. "Heavenly."

"My mother baked that."

He stared at the family picture that hung in the living room. "You don't resemble her."

"I'm adopted." Aerith explained. "My real mother died years ago."

"I resemble my mother." Sephiroth shared. "But she tells me I take my cruelty from my father."

What kind of a mother would tell _that_ to her son? "She must be a lovely woman."

"She is." He confirmed, flashing her another gorgeous grin. "I got her heart-wrenching smile too."

"How vain." Aerith mused.

"It wrenched your heart too, yes?"

If he could only stop stating the obvious. "Recovering, thank you."

"I hope you can meet her. I'm sure the two of you could get along well."

A country bumpkin and a sophisticated Midgar woman? "Maybe in my dreams."

Sephiroth consumed the entire slice in a matter of seconds. "Can I see you again?"

"You can visit my cart during weekends."

"Will you go out on a date with me after I buy your flower cart?"

 _What a straightforward man._ If Sephiroth thought he could purchase her with gifts, he was mistaken. "You'd deprive Nibelheim from my flowers."

Sephiroth leaned forward, closing the gap between their faces. His lime green eyes arrested her with its brilliance, tempting her to say yes. "I can be a selfish man, Aerith. If that's what it takes to make you go out on a date with me."

The room warmed, or was it her? Her dress felt damp and cold, as she tried to make sense of his invitation. Why would a city boy be interested in a country girl? "I don't like selfish men." She answered, trying to discourage him. "I don't date strangers."

Sephiroth's only response was a grin that told her she wouldn't. "Why don't we exchange letters?" he took a notepad and a pen from his pocket and scribbled an address. "Write to me, and I'll write back."

"What if I don't respond?"

"Oh, you will."

* * *

Even if Sephiroth generously bought flowers and showered the Gainsboroughs with gifts, Elvira wasn't fooled. His presence disrupted the peaceful mother-daughter relationship between Aerith and Elvira. Her irrational hatred for Sephiroth puzzled Aerith. Although she had been weary of him, Sephiroth's charm warmed her.

"Mother!" Aerith exclaimed, aghast to see her mother throwing several packages in the garbage bin. Trying to stop her, she tightly gripped her mother's arm. "Gifts aren't supposed to be thrown away!"

Elvira snatched her arm from Aerith's grip. "The purpose of a gift is to be received." she said. "and I can do whatever I please with it."

"His purchases help our family business!"

"This is what I've been warning you." Elvira snapped. "You're allowing yourself to be bought by a stranger!"

"He's a nice man—"

 _Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz._

The doorbell broke their bickering. Eager to escape the boiling tension between them, Elvira rushed to answer, peeking through the half-opened door first. Relief coursed through her. "Thank God it's you."

Cloud stepped into the foyer, carrying two large grocery bags. He dropped the goods and stretched his arms in circular motions. "Were you expecting someone else, Mrs. Elvira?"

She shook her head. "Are those for us?"

"Mother's gifts." Cloud answered.

"Thank you."

Aerith stepped into the foyer, folding her arms. "Why don't you dispose them too, mother? You've already received them, haven't you?"

A sour expression crossed Elvira's face as she frowned at her daughter. Cloud looked back and forth between the two, sensing a thick air of tension.

"I've taught you better manners." Elvira replied with sarcasm. "Is this how you show your best behavior in front of guests?"

"Hi Aerith." Cloud greeted.

Aerith didn't even look at him. "Hello, Cloud."

"Am I… disturbing something important?" he asked.

"No." Aerith interjected. "As a matter of fact, why don't you accompany me to the flower garden?"

Without any word, Aerith went to the flower garden, rudely ignoring her mother. Cloud was polite enough to assist Elvira with the groceries, before he proceeded to the garden. When Cloud finally arrived at the flower garden, Aerith was massaging her temples.

"Hey, are you okay?"

"No, I am not okay!" she yelled, annoyed for asking an obvious question.

Flustered, Cloud retreated. "There's no need to be… angry."

Looking at his expression, Aerith realized how irrational and unfair she treated him. "I'm sorry if I was unfair Cloud…it's just that, things between mom are rather shaky."

"I've never seen you argue with Mrs. Elvira."

Until Sephiroth came, they had never argued. Perhaps she should ditch Sephiroth after all? She did value her relationship with her mother. And a stranger, wasn't worth it. Elvira had done a lot for her, after all. And the best way to repay her kindness was obedience.

Cloud sat on the nearest bench and urged Aerith to sit beside him. "You can always confide to me."

How should she explain Sephiroth to him? "It's a girl thing."

"I could cross-dress." He teased. "I'd wear a wig with braids. And a violet satin dress would suit me, right? I'm sure that'll make you talk to me."

Aerith giggled. "I think you'd make a pretty cross dresser."

They both laughed, and Aerith was thankful. He lightened her mood. And she was able to see him clearly. As of late, Cloud had begun to occupy her thoughts for the past few months. She eventually realized that she harbored a secret crush on him- A secret she shared with her bestfriend, Tifa.

A few weeks before the school dance, she pulled Tifa aside. "Do you think Cloud's going to ask me for the dance?"

Tifa folded her arms across her chest. "Why don't you ask him first?"

Color flooded Aerith's cheeks. "But that's not proper!" Boys were supposed to initiate. Not the other way around.

"Well," Tifa drew a deep breath. "A girl has to do what she has to do. Ask him out for God's sake. Don't be a pretty sitting duck."

"Maybe when I see him." Yet she was unsure whether she would follow through. Aerith gulped, not expecting that situation to come sooner as expected.

"The Dance is almost soon." He coughed.

Tucking a hair strand behind her ear, she couldn't help but ask. "Do you… have a partner?"

"I haven't asked someone out yet." Cloud scratched his head, his eyes not meeting hers. "But there _is_ someone I'd like to ask."

Her heart skipped a beat. _Ask him, Aerith!_ "Cloud, do you think that—"

" _I didn't know you were with someone Ms. Aerith."_

 _No. Not now!_ Turning around, Sephiroth strolled like a cat. She hated he had to disrupt this rare moment with Cloud. Yet as he inched closer towards them, she couldn't help but compare the two. Sephiroth, cool and elegant. Cloud, warm and earthy in worn out clothes.

Cloud raised his brows, wondering who the smartly dressed stranger was. "Cloud, this is Sephiroth. He's a regular customer. Sephiroth, this is Cloud. He's my school mate at Nibelheim High School."

Sephiroth extended an elegant arm. Flustered, Cloud offered his and shook hands. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Sephiroth."

"Pleasant meeting you too, Cloud."

"Am I interrupting something important?" Sephiroth asked.

 _Yes._ "We were talking about our School Dance."

"A dance?"

"It's next week." Cloud added.

Sephiroth turned to her. "Do you have a partner?"

"No." Because Cloud hadn't asked her yet. Because she hadn't asked him out yet.

"Can I be your partner?"

 _No. No. No. No_. He was ruining everything! "I don't—"

"You should go for it." Cloud croaked, and with those five words, he dashed whatever dreams she hoped for to be with him.

"I… yes. No one has asked me of course… only Sephiroth." She lied, knowing that several boys already asked her out, and she refused them for Cloud. But now that he pushed her away...

"You wanted to ask someone?" she asked.

"Does Tifa have a date?"

Her heart broke. "I don't know."

"Can I go out with her?"

Oh God, why was he asking permission from her? "No one's stopping you Cloud…" she uttered lamely.

"Right."

Suddenly, the situation became awkward. "So I guess I'll look for Tifa. Goodbye Aerith. Goodbye Mr. Sephiroth." And he walked away, disappearing from her life. Not even giving her a chance to be his partner. _Coward._

"Charming." Sephiroth mused. "I think he wanted to ask you to be his partner."

She could have sworn the same thing too. _But you came along._ "Well, it looks like he's going to ask Tifa."

Aerith didn't feel beautiful in her red gown that night. She tried to keep her braids, but it didn't look appropriate with her dress. Ultimately, she let her hair loose, forming waves and ringlets across her back. She wasn't Tifa, but her appearance would do.

Elvira wasn't too happy to learn that Sephiroth was her partner. But he assured her he would safely escort her home.

Driving to the school, Sephiroth and Aerith talked about different topics. Sephiroth shared his background as a trader, a business he inherited from his mother's family. On the other hand, Aerith shared her affection for Cloud.

Realizing her mistake, she covered her mouth. "I shouldn't have said."

"So that's why." He drawled. "You were waiting for him to ask you."

She gulped. "Yes."

"It's too bad, huh?"

She remained silent.

"It's only when we earnestly seek the things we desire that we succeed."

Several girls stared at Sephiroth. Neither the female faculty members were spared. Aerith couldn't blame them. She had the same reaction as well. Some were curious enough to ask up front. Some were content to just watch from afar. She could have sworn envy from the eyes from other ladies- Envy that she had managed to catch someone handsome and sophisticated, unlike their plain partners. Not that she cared. Sephiroth was handsome. But her eyes longed for a man… and she found him, dancing with her bestfriend.

Sephiroth followed her gaze's direction. "She must be your bestfriend, I presume?"

Aerith nodded. "Lovely couple, aren't they?"

"Dance with me." Sephiroth urged.

He was a skillful dancer, sweeping her across the dance floor. _If he could sweep the pain inside my, that would be nice._

Once the dance ended, she finally introduced him to Tifa.

"He doesn't look like a student."

"He's a businessman."

Tifa's eyes widened. "Way to go, Aerith!" she cheered.

"So… how's the dance going?"

"Fun!" she exclaimed. "I'm so glad Cloud asked me out! I mean, other guys asked me, but I'm really comfortable with him."

 _He was supposed to ask me_. "You two look good together."

"Are you kidding me? You and Mr. Businessman look _great_ together! I wouldn't be surprised if the two of you won Lord and Lady Nibelheim for the night."

"Oh, don't be silly." She chided. "He's an outsider."

"Wanna bet?"

Tifa's forecast came true. They were crowned the Lord and Lady, a fact stunning Aerith. Sephiroth attracted a lot of cheers. As they stood on the stage to receive their awards, she glimpsed Tifa whisking Cloud away.

Sephiroth read her thoughts. "You're concerned about him, aren't you?"

"I'm sorry." She was supposed to be happy with her handsome partner. She wasn't supposed to feel miserable. She was miserable!

"Here's what I'll do. I'll escort you home, just as your mother asked me too. And then, you'll sneak out, go to his house, and confess what you feel for him."

"You…you're sure?"

"Absolutely." He was treating her like a little sister. "It's only when we earnestly seek the things we desire that we succeed."

As promised, Sephiroth drove her home. Elvira sighed with relief. "I guess I made a mistake about you."

"It's alright, ma'am."

"But I still can't shake the odd feeling about you."

Two hours later, Aerith sneaked out from her house, and biked all the way to his house. She was about to knock on the door when she heard muffled voices from the inside.

"I'm happy you asked me out." Tifa murmured. "I thought you were going to ask Aerith."

What was Tifa doing inside his house? Aerith held her breath. This wasn't the time to make any weird noises. She couldn't afford to be caught. Common sense told her to move, but her legs wouldn't.

She wanted to hear _his_ response.

"I…wanted to ask you out."

 _Liar._ He was about to ask her when Sephiroth interrupted them. Oh, why did he have to lie to Tifa? The conversation stopped. Pressing her ears against the wall, she tried to hear more and to her horror, heard them moaning.

"My mom might come home—"

"Take me to your room."

"Tifa, I can't do this—"

"Haven't you dreamed of this moment with me?"

 _Please say no, Cloud. Please say, no._

But his response broke her heart. "Ever since you fell on me from the stairs."

"Then take me upstairs." She breathed.

"You're not my girlfriend."

"Will you be my boyfriend Cloud?"

Aerith no longer heard his response, but the echoes of the creaking stairs. Then and there, she knew his answer. Then and there, went her crush—upstairs to be with another woman. Her bestfriend, who knew her love for him.

 _Some bestfriend,_ she sighed. How could her night go from bad to good to worse?

* * *

The following school day, Tifa announced that she and Cloud were officially a couple. Several classmates were alarmed. How could a Section A student like her have an average boyfriend? She could have a better guy, but for her, happiness was with Cloud.

Aerith had watched from afar, finding it difficult to be happy. The love bite on Cloud's neck didn't make it easier.

Now that Tifa spent more time with him, Aerith was all alone to pursue what she wanted to do. Three weeks, later, Sephiroth returned to Nibelheim. Gently, Aerith confessed what happened that night.

"You weren't earnest enough." Sephiroth admonished her. "And now your best friend finally has him."

 _Some best friend I have_. "Can we change the topic?"

Sephiroth charmed her with tales from Midgar, making Aerith want to leave the sleepy town. Perhaps, she could move to the big city, where it seemed so exciting and full of potential. He seemed to know her interest and encouraged her to work with him after graduation.

"I don't think your mother will agree with your plan."

"Why?"

He shrugged. "She doesn't like me."

"My mother likes you." She lied.

"I'm good at reading people." He asserted. "She detests me. Her politeness is just a facade."

"I can convince her." Aerith declared.

"How?"

"That's my problem." She promised him. "And besides, I want to see Midgar! I wonder what jobs I can take to earn money."

"There are other profitable things to earn money."

"Such as?"

He flashed her a strange, knowing smile. "You'll know, soon enough."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **I struggled to write this chapter. Perfectionism bit me with its bloody jaws, and I had to convince myself to write (even if my mind was telling me what I was writing wasn't any good). I had to tell myself it was easy to write a chapter that wasn't good. I had to tell myself to write. I'm just a few chapters away from ending this tale...**


	10. What happened to Aerith: Part 2

The timing couldn't be anything but perfect.

School was about to end in a month's time, and so was her misery. For weeks, Aerith endured accidental encounters with Cloud and Tifa, who were open with their affections for another. She hated the sick feeling the pit of her belly every time Cloud held Tifa's hands. She hated how her heart would violently thrash when she saw the pair.

Thank God that they were about to graduate, and thank God for Sephiroth, who accompanied her when he was in town. Somehow, a strange bond formed between the two of them. Neither of them were lovers, and neither did Sephiroth make any advances on her. He simply filled the gap Tifa left when she left her for Cloud.

Sephiroth stood outside the sleek exterior of his black car, waiting for her classes to end. As he waved at her, and she couldn't help but smile. It had become a ritual where he would drive her home. The same way Cloud had waited for her so he could walk her home.

"Did you buy what I asked you?"

Sephiroth handed her a neatly wrapped box in red silk in the size of a shoebox.

"How much do I have to pay you?"

"You could be a model in one of my companies."

Prior to leaving, Sephiroth had offered her to become a model, an idea that immensely surprised her. She found it difficult to believe that a timid, brown-haired flower model could be a model.

"Do you really think I can be a model?"

"Trust me." He winked. "Baby-faced models are all the rage in Midgar now. If your mom will agree, I'll promise you'll be sending her a hefty sum."

Elvira's dislike for Sephiroth hovered in the air. Aerith wondered if going with him was a really good idea. True, she did want to see Midgar, but if she pressured her mother to give in to her demand, she would ruin their blissful relationship. Aerith couldn't deny that Cloud's relationship with Tifa was another factor in her decision to leave Nibelheim.

Sephiroth was perceptive enough to notice Aerith's dilemma. "Something's disturbing you. Care to tell me?"

"It's Cloud and Tifa." She admitted. "It honestly hurts to see them together. I don't think I can take it. I can pretend as if I'm happy that they're a couple—"

"But deep inside, you want to smash their happiness." Sephiroth concluded. "Deep inside, you want to be the person beside him."

"Am I evil for wanting that?" she shook her head. "I'm confused. I'm Tifa's bestfriend and I'm supposed to be happy for her, but why can't I?"

"You know the answer, Aerith." Sephiroth said with cold finality, as placed a finger underneath her chin, raising Aerith's head so that their eyes made contact. "Best friends don't betray one another, and they don't steal another's beloved."

"And she did." She whispered in a defeated tone.

Their interlude was disturbed when a familiar voice called for Aerith's attention. She swung around to see Zack Fair, with his large Buster Sword hanging on his back. Zack wasn't too far from Aerith's age. He was a prodigy who graduated early, and had disappointed his parents by become a Mercenary—A bounty hunter. It wasn't the noblest profession, but the pay was good and made Zack happy.

"I finally found you! Your mom asked me to take you home."

"But Sephiroth can drive me home." she pouted

"We both know that." Zack smiled sheepishly. "And we both know I can't refuse your mother."

Aerith sighed and apologized to Sephiroth. He understood her predicament.

"There's no need to apologize. Good day, Aerith, Mr. Fair."

Sephiroth drove away in his sleek black car. Aerith noticed that, no matter how hard he tried to conceal it, a bounty hunter like Zack, was impressed with the man from Midgar.

"That's one hell of a sexy car, huh?"

"He's a businessman, after all."

Zack stuck out his tongue. "I'm still rooting for Team Clerith."

Aerith frowned, even if the thought pleased her. "I didn't know you're a romantic."

"The two of you look good together."

"He looks _fantastic_ with Tifa." She said with sarcasm. "Don't tell me you're in the same league as with my mom."

"Unforunately, I am."

Elvira was grateful when Zack brought her only daughter home and invited him to have dinner. Zack ate the scrumptous meal offered to him. Aerith took advantage of the merry opportunity to give her mother the red gift box. Satisfied, Elvira handed her own gift as well.

"What's the occasion?" Zack asked.

" _I'm a Gainsborough Day!_ " Elvira answered sweetly. "Today's the day I first met Aerith."

"We have a custom of exchanging gifts to celebrate this day." Aerith added.

Zack's eyes lit up. "Why don't we unwrap your gifts right now?"

Elvira first opened her gift box, revealing a lovely green dress in the latest fashion. Elvira's eyes glittered in delight.

"Try it on." Her daughter urged

Elvira quickly changed, and was amazed with how soft and silky the fabric was, how the dress clung to her body. She hugged her daughter. "Thank you Aerith."

Smiling, Aerith unwrapped her gift. Her jaw dropped as she held the gift in hand. "These are—"

"Tickets to Wutai this summer." Elvira answered. "I wanted to spend my birthday there with you."

Aerith gulped. She had planned to leave for Midgar before summer.

Satiated, Zack the thanked the Gainsboroughs before departing. Once they were alone, Aerith drew a deep breath, hating that she was going to ruin their festive mood.

"Thank you for the tickets, but..." she exhaled. "I was planning to move to Midgar after graduation."

Elvira didn't blink. "With whom?"

"With Sephiroth."

Elvira's eyes narrowed. "Don't you dare leave with him, or I will disown you!"

Unable to contain the fury in her heart, Aerith lashed at her mother. "Well, you're not my _real_ mother!"

Without warning, Elvira slapped her. A bright red mark forming on Aerith's supple cheek, leaving both women stunned. Elvira had never her throughout her life

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—"

"Good night, mother." Before Elvira could explain herself further, Aerith slapped the tickets on the table before leaving the dining room. Angry footsteps echoed through the household, ending with a loud bang of the door.

Alone, the elder Gainsborough sunk on the chair, wondering how such a wonderful occasion went wrong. She picked up the graduation gift for her daughter on the table. All she felt was cold and numbness.

"Is it wrong to love and think of your well-being, Aerith?" Elvira whispered, a tear falling from her face, as she hid the tickets in her pocket.

Tears also fell from Aerith's eyes. Locked in her room, she dropped to the warmth of her bed. The shock of being hit surprised her. She didn't mean to scream those words, but her mother was horrible to Sephiroth who had only shown them kindness.

"I'm so sorry, mother." she muttered against her blanket.

The next day, Elvira was nowhere in sight. Aerith went to her stall to set up her flower shop. She was still sad from last night's events.

"It looks like you're in deep thought."

"What… what are you doing here alone, Cloud?"

He laughed. "Tifa's not an extension of my body."

This was the first time she was around him without Tifa fawning over, and Aerith missed this moments. He helped her with the flower display, carefully putting the flower pots on the floor and the shop marker.

"I'm sorry." he said.

"For what?"

"For taking Tifa away from you." He explained.

She took you away, not the other way around, Aerith thought with sadness. "Love changes a person."

"Are you going out with Mr. Sephiroth?"

Why was he asking? Was he jealous? Did he suddenly care? Like the way she cared when she saw him and Tifa together?

"Yes." She lied. There had been no romantic implication with her relationship with Sephiroth, if anything, it was a friendly mutual relationship. She enjoyed his company. It was sufficient to say that she was using him. "And I might leave Nibelheim with him after our graduation."

Cloud's eyes widened. "You can't really mean that. Will aunt Elvira approve?"

Aerith shoved the image of her sad mother last night. Suddenly, she didn't like the guilty feelings at all. She hated it, and she hated Cloud for reminding her. "It doesn't matter. I'm already of legal age. I can do what I want."

Cloud was surprised to see this side of her, always seeing how agreeable she was with her mother. "You;ve changed."

"Have I?" she challenged. "Maybe you never really knew me."

Cloud took a long look at her before shaking his head. "Maybe I never did."

"Will you be sad if I leave?"

Cloud moved his eyes away. "Of course I would. You're… one of a kind."

"Fancy seeing the two of you!"

Aerith quickly moved away, recognizing the voice. Tifa kissed Cloud, before hugging her bestfriend. "Was I interrupting anything important?"

"Cloud and I were talking about what to do after graduation."

Tifa's eyes lit. "Oh that's good! Cloud wants to be a bounty hunter like Zack."

Surprised, Aerith turned to him. "It's not an easy task."

"I'll live with it."

"What about you Aerith?" Tifa asked. "I'm sorry if I haven't been hanging out with you."

"No problem." she lied, "I might try modeling."

Aerith's statement caught Tifa's attention. "Where?"

A little flicker of pride flickered in Aerith's heart. "In Midgar."

Tifa hugged her. "That's great! I'm sure you'll do excellently. The people are going to love you on stage!"

She nodded her head. "I hope so too."

"Oh, we won't be long. We're going to have lunch at Cloud's home. Want to come?"

"I think I'll pass." she apologized. "I have to tend my store."

The couple bade their farewell. Once they were out of sight, Aerith exhaled. _Have an awkward dinner? No thank you._


	11. What happened to Aerith: Part 3

The duffel bag wasn't heavy compared to the feelings in her heart. Clutching the bag, she slowly entered her mother's bedroom, where a single lamp dimly lit the room. Elvira huddled in her semi-double sized bed. Aerith inched closer to press a kiss on her forehead.

Unintentionally, the young Gainsborough saw the Aircraft Tickets to Wutai on the bedside table. Memories flashed. Elvira's joy in giving it to her... and her own rejection of the gift. Without warning, she took the tickets and stashed it in her pocket.

Taking one last look at her mother's serene sleeping form, she left the bedroom and went downstairs. She couldn't keep him waiting.

Downstairs, her visitor stood beside their oak tree, waiting. He parked his car not too far from the tree so as not to attract attention. Aerith found him and waved a hand. His face lit upon seeing her and the bag she carried.

He strode towards her with wide open arms and took her duffel bag. "I'm glad you've made the correct decision."

It was a tough decision. Choosing dreams over her mother. Choosing a stranger over the safe life Nibelheim offered. Choosing to escape rather than face the pain head on. Those were tough but correct decisions, weren't they?

Yet why couldn't she ignore the feeling that it was wrong? Frowning, her so called "correct decision" didn't feel right.

"You're hesitating."

"I-I'm sorry. I'm afraid I changed my mind." She mumbled and rubbed over her palms. "Your offer has been wonderful Sephy, but I'm afraid if I go with you, I won't be able to salvage my relationship with my mother. I hope you understand, and I'm sorry if it seemed that… I led you along."

Sympathetically, he motioned her to come to him for a hug. "I understand." He whispered. In his embrace, she felt safe and understood.

She was not prepared for his next words.

"I understand what a gullible fool you are."

Her heart thumped. Unbelieving of what he said, she tried to push herself away, but couldn't. Aerith couldn't escape from his embrace and her disbelief.

The charming businessman, who tried to win her and her mother, and the prince who listened to her concerns with infinite patience, vanished.

Under the moonlit sky, he transformed into the man Elvira saw all along.

A vicious and treacherous snake.

Sephiroth's right arm yanked a handful of Aerith's hair, while his left arm kept her tightly imprisoned.

Aerith writhed in pain. "You're hurting me!"

"Me, hurting you?" he mocked. "Doesn't the pain of being led on hurt more, comparef to this?"

"Let go!" she wailed.

"If you think I'm letting you go just because you said so, you have to work hard for it."

Aerith punched and kicked her tormentor to no avail. He tightened his grip, and slammed her hard against the oak tree. The shock of the blow stunned her, and she felt hot liquid flowing down her cheek.

Not contented, Sephiroth whirled her to the ground with force that sent her mind reeling. Aerith gasped for breath as she lay on her abdomen. Opening her eyes, she realized the tickets dropped from her pocket. Aerith reached for it when an elegant shoe trampled her slender hand.

"Ow!" she yelped.

Sephiroth crouched to take the tickets away, inspecting it.

"Wutai?"

"Don't touch those…. My mother… bought it for me…."

He raised the tickets and in front of her and tore in into pieces.

Tears bubbled in her eyes, watching as he shredded what her mother saved hard for. "You bastard." She hissed.

"It took you long enough to know that."

A sharp blow to her nape knocked her unconscious. Whatever hope Aerith harbored vanished. No one would save her. Not even her mother who comfortably slept in her bed. The next day, Elvira woke to find Aerith and her belongings gone. On her bedside table, the tickets she gifted for Aerith were shredded beyond recognition.

Aerith was gone, and so was any hope for reconciliation in Elvira's heart.

Several miles from Nibelheim, distraught cries woke Aerith's slumber. Her cheek slightly swelled, and her head ached. Disoriented, she struggled to organize her thoughts. Where was she? What had happened? How did she end up here?

Slowly, she began to reconstruct the events, and the horror of her situation crept to her. Looking around, she was confined in a large white room with several other women. Probably a hundred or so. All of them wore white dresses, with a bangle on their right arm. She looked at her own body and gasped. Aerith wore the same outfit.

"Seventy-four!" a man shouted. "Where is number seventy-four?"

The women buzzed, and finally, one pushed Aerith forward. "She's seventy-four!"

The tall man took no hesitation and dragged Aerith. "Where are you taking me?"

"Quit yappin and move!"

Fearful, Aerith kept her mouth shut. He took her to an all-white room, with an operating bed with straps in the middle. Several branding irons were neatly organized on the wall. Other than, no other objects adorned the room.

The man shoved and strapped her to the bed. With her limbs and head immobile, Aerith felt helpless. Suddenly, she felt a cold hand brush her forearms, until it caressed her bruised cheek.

"Sephiroth!"

He lightly slapped the swollen cheek, making her grimace in pain. "I'm going to make your life better, Aerith. Like I promised you, I'll make you a model, but I'm afraid you can't send money to your mother because you reneged on our deal."

"What are you going to do to me?"

"This will hurt a bit."

What followed was the hiss of hot iron and a sharp pain that made her body scream with fright.

"Stop it! Stop it! No, Stop it!—"

Intense nerve-wracking pain shot through her body as the pressure from the poker deepened. She could see what part of her body was branded, but her upper chest stung. Unable to cope with the pain, her body thrashed. The leather straps immobilizing her made her suffering worse. Continuing to writhe in pain, she bit her lip untl it bled.

The pain almost took her consciousness away, if it weren't for the faint voices between Sephiroth and the man.

"You can't mean to test that on her, Sephiroth. Professor Hojo never even dared—"

With the remaining strength she had, Aerith opened her eyes. Sephiroth had a 5-cc syringe in hand, filled with a violet colored liquid.

"What is that?" she weakly asked.

"An improvement of my father's drug." he told her. "It was originally created to prevent slaves from escaping. Once it has entered the circulation and nervous system, the drug will alter the body's neurochemical processes. If the body doesn't receive its daily dose, the person will suffer an excruciating pain."

"And die." She concluded.

"But I won't allow you to die, Aerith." He coldly smiled.

This was too much. "What have I done to you to make you treat me so?"

"You'll know, soon enough." He injected the serum in her. Whatever he put in her system, she was glad it didn't cause her pain.

"What do you plan to do with me?"

"Sell you." He replied. "All women I capture are fair game. It's for the family business."

The business he constantly talked about was kidnapping and selling women. She realized that the charm he exhibited was cultivated through years of practice. The façade he set up was simply, a façade to entrap young women to fall for him. And she, Aerith Gainsborough, was another victim, who blindly fell into it.

Another sharp pain formed on her left arm. Whatever they injected made her groggy and she fell asleep. But she welcomed it, even if it was a temporary reprieve.

Five days later, her injuries miraculously healed. She was dressed in provocative clothes and grouped with other women. The women couldn't help but chatter and whimper as they awaited their fate.

"We are going to be sold as slaves."

"I don't want to be a slave."

"Isn't this illegal?"

Aerith heard enough. At first, she couldn't bear the agony when one woman was pulled from them and was publicly auctioned. The second woman who was pulled out, a sick feeling formed in her belly. The third woman, sweat broke through her body. The fourth woman… she was the fourth woman.

"Our next auction is a lovely woman from the province of Nibelheim. Standing at five feet and three inches, she's every dirty old man's secret fantasy-"

The bright lights obscured her vision. She didn't want to see the leering men who openly gaped at her. She didn't want to be in this stage. But she couldn't. Sephiroth had told her she would model, and she did. In a horrific fashion.

Even if she shut her eyes, she couldn't shut the noises they made. The value they put on her worth. The climbing stakes. The jeers. The yells. Then she heard the final bidding, the one that sealed her fate as a commodity.

Sold!" The unseen announcer screamed in delight. "Sold for one million Gil to Sephiroth."

The irony of the situation didn't escape her. She was sold to her own captor. What a joke!

She was brought in another separate room where Sephiroth waited. Beside him was a man several inches shorter than him. His rangy built was clad in a black business suit. The shoulder length hair was tied at the nape. His glasses made his look sharp. He was not handsome, and one word perfectly described him. _Cruel._

"So this is the woman who has caught your interest?" his voice sent chills to her spine. "Tsk tsk." Hojo shook his head and looked hard at Sephiroth. "I thought you had better tastes, son."

 _He is Sephiroth's father?_ There was little resemblance between them. Then she remembered what he told her before. His mother mentioned that Sephiroth inherited his cruelty from his father. Apparently, the mother spoke true.

"Then free me." Aerith boldly declared.

Instead, Hojo slapped her with a backhand, knocking her off-guard. The impact cut her lip. No, she would not cry. _She would not cry_.

"Definitely poor taste." His father commented dispassionately. "You take after your mother, son."

Sephiroth in a grim tone, answered. "So you're implying that mother had a poor choice in choosing you?"

Aerith flinched when he hit his own son too. Unlike her, Sephiroth stood still, his gaze was as cold as stone.

"You make me laugh, son." He snorted. "We had an arranged marriage."

His son kept quiet.

"But does this…. _Thing_ make you happy?"

Aerith had never felt even more humiliated to be treated like an inanimate object.

"She amuses me." Came Sephiroth's cold reply.

"Very well then. Your mother amuses me too." Hojo looked at her, and Aerith trembled. "What are your next plans?"

"I tested the stronger version of Jenova's Drug on her. "Sephiroth's gaze never left her. "I might as well mark and put a bomb in her."

"Excellent. You really are my son."

He let out a shrieking laugh that pierced her drums and walked out of the room, leaving Aerith to confront Sephiroth.

"I wish I never met you." She cried bitterly, unable to control the tears streaming from her eyes.

"Fortunately, you did."

Sephiroth brought her to his residence in Shinra Tower, a huge megastructure towering over Midgar. Not that she wanted to, Aerith couldn't quench her curiosity and stared outside the windows. Midgar was a sea of light amid the darkness.

"Welcome to Midgar."

If they had been friends, she would have smiled at his greeting. Any trace of friendship was cut when Sephiroth kidnapped her from Nibelheim.

Sephiroth's bachelor pad was minimal in design, yet it oozed with classiness Aerith couldn't help but admire. A faint vanilla aroma lingered in the room. Despite its glamor, the room's aura felt cold and dead.

Sephiroth led her to a small room, with a single bed, a steel table, a cute cabinet and a window. He handed her a bandage kit to treat her cut lip. "You can view Midgar from the window. But I warn you, if you try and escape. You will suffer the consequences."

Looking at the towering structures and the sea of lights, Aerith told herself she had finally returned to her birthplace. But she didn't belong here. Even if she was born here, Elvira had raised her under Nibelheim skies and fed her with the harvests of Nibelheim soil. What made her think that Midgar was a better place than Nibelheim?

She had once told Cloud how nice it was to be a damsel in distress. It wasn't nice now. Desperately, she hoped a knight in shining armor would come and save her.

Finally alone, she wept.

For her helplessness. For her confinement. For the wretchedness her life became.

Aerith removed her clothes and stared the brand on her right chest. An elegant design with strange markings. A mark she would carry for the rest of her life.

If only she could turn back time and listened to her mother. But no. In her own headstrong belief to escape painful feelings, she allowed herself to be swayed a handsomely disguised snake.

And she had bitterly paid the price with her freedom.


	12. What happened to Aerith: Part 4

When Sephiroth had reached the age of eighteen, Lucrecia and Hojo agreed that their son would live separately from them. For Lucrecia, it meant to remove him from the harmful influence of his father. For Hojo, it meant to make a man out of him.

But the bond between a mother and child could never be easily disrupted. Lucrecia visited her son to talk about the family business. After being abroad for the past four months, she decided to visit his bachelor's pad, only to be greeted with an unpleasant sight.

"Stop!"

Sephiroth froze.

His raised hand was about the land on the delicate brown-haired woman's battered face. Lucrecia had never seen her before, she very well knew the signs of the beaten woman when their eyes met.

Would she play a hero for this little one whose name she didn't even know?

"That is _not_ the proper way to treat a guest."

"She is not a guest, mother."

She arched a brow. "Then who is she?

Sephiroth's mouth formed a grim line.

"You never bring women to your pad." said Lucrecia.

She turned to the frightened woman and brushed away the tendrils of hair from her face. The bruises didn't surprise her. "What is your name, young lady?"

"A-Aerith." She stammered.

"Aerith." She repeated.

Ah, so she was the Flower Lady who cultivated the Tulips Sephiroth brought her months ago. How she ended in his bachelor's pad was a mystery she would solve later.

"That's a lovely name. My name is Lucrecia, Sephiroth's mother."

Aerith's eyes widened like two round saucers as she covered her mouth with surprise. "You're _his_ mother?"

Lucrecia's lip curled. "I gave birth to him when I was eighteen."

With an astonished look, Aerith gasped. "You do not look your age."

Lucrecia gave a short, husky laugh. "I'm beginning to like our guest, son."

Sephiroth frowned. "She is not a guest mother." He repeated.

"Then tell who she is." She challenged him. "Is she one of _them_?"

Aerith was surprised to see him wince. She never saw him behave this way before. Despite the cruelty he inflicted on her, the man respected his mother.

He respected his mother, but not the woman that Aerith was. What a joke.

"Yes." He gritted.

Lucrecia did not blink at his son's admission. "Then I want to buy her from you."

To her horror, Aerith realized that this beautiful and elegant woman was also involved in the dirty trade that snatched her freedom.

His mother's offer alarmed Sephiroth. "I bought her for one million Gil. She is not for sale."

"But I insist." She persisted. "I have never asked a lot from you, my son. Surely you cannot refuse me this simple request. I'll pay two million Gil and give you 2% of my shares."

He didn't care about the money, but the shares mattered. Defeated, he released a breath. "Very well. Let me draft a contract to complete the transaction."

Sephiroth went to his office to retrieve the necessary documents. He produced several papers later, which Lucrecia signed. Contented, she hugged her son. "Thank you."

Aerith saw frustration burn in his eyes.

With a snap of her new master's fingers, another figure appeared in sight. Tall, brooding, with a shocking pair of red eyes, he reminded her of the two figures who accompanied Sephiroth in Nibelheim.

"Vincent, take her to the car. I have other matters to discuss with my son."

Gratefully, Vincent knew how to deliver a blow without the person knowing it. A mere touch to her temples sent a current of electricity through her body. Seconds later, she lost consciousness.

"Why, mother?" Sephiroth asked. "Why the interest in her?"

"She's the one who cultivated the flowers you gave me, yes?"

He nodded.

"She's perfect for my plans."

"And that's…?"

"That only concerns me, my darling boy."

Since she was kidnapped, Aerith received numerous blows that knocked her, or worse, made her lose her consciousness. Aerith hated receiving the end of Sephiroth's punches. She despised her inability to fight or protect herself. If she had only taken boxing lessons from Tifa, she could have boxed that snake who turned her into a living punching bag.

When she woke up this time, she felt refreshed. Her eyes adjusted to the room, and she smelled a trace of lavender inside the room.

"You're finally awake."

Lucrecia appeared, carrying a tray of hot beverage and biscuits. The red-eyed man also stood in the room, his eyes looking straight, ignoring the two of them. Looking at her, Aerith recalled what Sephiroth had told her about his mother.

 _I inherited my looks from my mother. But she tells me I inherited my father's cruelty._

Her face was so like Sephiroth's, almost ephemeral in beauty. Her voice held a sternness that her son could only respect.

But how could she have married that average and mean-looking man? Aerith mused how the unfair the world could be.

"Don't mind Vincent." She told her. "He's my bodyguard."

"Is he like Reno and Tseng?"

Immediately, Vincent's gaze was on hers. "How do you know them?"

"They accompanied Sephiroth when I was working in Nibelheim."

"I see." Then he ignored her again and pretended to be an inanimate object.

Lucrecia sat beside her and waved her arms. "Welcome to my humble abode."

"It smells Lavender."

Lucrecia smiled. "Ah, yes. I forgot, you know plants very much. You were the one who raised the Tulips, yes?"

Aerith nodded. "You… know me."

"Only that you planted them. But I never knew that my son had the guts to take, sell and ultimately, purchase you for himself. He's a brilliant man. He takes after his father. Hojo is a scientist you see. But my son can be stupid sometimes. I wonder if he inherited that from me."

"He told me that all the women he capture is fair game—"

"Preposterous." Lucrecia snapped. "He could have branded and taken you home for himself, but no. He had to put you through an auction. There was no need for that. I truly wonder what was running inside his head."

Disbelief and confusion enveloped the young Flower Lady.

Sephiroth had purposely auctioned Aerith to simply _humiliate_ her.

Lucrecia sat down beside to comfort her and patted the young woman's back. "There, there." and she wiped the tears running from her eyes.

Her action only made it worse. She strongly reminded Aerith of Elvira, who probably thought the worse of her.

Lucrecia allowed her to cry. To grieve.

Aerith would never see Nibelheim again... Never see her mother... Never see the flowers… and Never see Cloud.

"Please free me." pleaded Aerith. "My mother believes I left her and I don't want her to think horribly of me. I know you're my… master, but you're a mother as well. You do understand what I'm saying, don't you?"

"I'm sorry, but I can't. It's impossible." Lucrecia stood up and walked around the room. "I can only make things better for you. But even if I _did_ help you escape, they can still track you down."

Her answer dashed Aerith's hopes to the ground. "But why?"

"You're a special slave."

"What do you mean?"

"Slaves are branded and left like that." explained Lucrecia. "But it seems that my son took a special liking to you. Not only did he inject an untested Jenova drug into your system, he treated you like a Shinra Employee."

Aerith understood the concept of the Jenova Drug. Every often, men in white would inject the violet fluid in her body. But the Shinra employee? No.

"Once you work for Shinra, the company owns you. Every Employee is marked and numbered at the nape. I don't know if you can see it, but your mark is 197011. A chip is implanted into your body and it serves two purposes. It tracks your whereabouts and detonates the bomb inside your body." She raised a small black device. "It can also send electric shocks in your body, just in case you do something that displeases me."

Aerith's eyes latched on the small black remote. "Can't you remove the bomb and the chip from me?"

Lucrecia shook her head. "Proper protocols are observed in surgically removing the chip. Every protocol involve's my husband's supervision. Given how my husband likes to… torment me, if he discovers I've bought you from Sephiroth, I'm sure he wouldn't grant any request from me."

"How could you marry that cruel person?"

"Arranged marriage." Lucrecia explained. "I'm sure my father regrets that decision, now that he's lying in his grave. You've met him, yes? He's a wretched person, and I can't believe I slept with him. When I knew he was drugging me, I had to do something…. But that's another story."

Lucrecia merely shrugged and chuckled. However, Aerith felt that it was an uncomfortable topic for her. Even the wallflower ornament, Vincent, clenched his jaw.

"I hope you understand why I can't free you, even if I want to. I don't know what you've done to make my son do this…. I don't know how to say it. He's usually gentle with the women he captures."

"Are you also involved in this trade….?"

Lucrecia smiled at her pityingly. "I was born in this trade." She admitted. "You can say that this trade supported my lifestyle." I don't approve the practice, but it's what I grew up with. It was my father's business, who later turned it over to my husband."

"Who turned it to your son."

"I'm afraid so." She nodded. "My father was one of the founders of Shinra Corporation. Running a corporation isn't easy and the human trade became another source of income. Like I said, I'm not proud of it, but it's what I grew up with."

"But you can always leave, can't you?

The older woman's body trembled and she exploded into laughter. Carefully, she folded folded the hem of her dress, revealing a fair arm with a familiar mark. The same mark on her chest.

Her palms covered her mouth to cover the horror. "No, not even you. You are his mother!"

"Not my son." she clarified. "Hojo did this." With a bitter smile, Lucrecia remembered the sad memories behind the scar. "My monstrous husband did the same thing to me."

The family revelations were too much for Aerith to handle. This was one twisted family relationship.

"Did he give you that Jenova drug too?"

"I was his first guinea pig." She said with disgust.

"But why?"

"So I couldn't leave him after our marriage." She recalled. "Knowing how much I hate him, Hojo has done his best to make my life miserable. His first first example was our son."

Aerith's brows arched. "What happened?"

"His father wanted to destroy every chance of happiness I had, and in turn, changed our son into a monster like him.I'm only glad he didn't take Vincent from me. Mr. Shinra ensured that."

"Is Hojo the only one who knows the antidote?"

"There is no antidote." said Lucrecia. "Hojo didn't bother in creating one."

 _What? There was no hope?_

"Sephiroth told me if I don't receive my daily dose, I would experience an excruciating pain."

Lucrecia shuddered. "I almost died and miscarried my child when I didn't receive my dose. "

Another revelation. Aerith would have wanted to hear more, but the disapproving glance Vincent shot her told her to stop asking questions.

Lucrecia merely laughed. "Don't listen to Vincent. Feel free to ask my questions. My life is an open book, except for the secrets I choose to keep."

"Why are you nice to me, Mrs. Lucrecia?"

Lucrecia leaned closer to her. Tenderly, as a mother would, she held Aerith's face between her hands. "Because you are the person who will help me."

 _What?_

A mere flower Lady who was turned a slave, help the mother of her captor and enslavor?

How strange the world could be.

"I have my secrets, Aerith. I don't trust anybody, but my gut tells me to trust you. Will you promise me that you will obey me, as your master, and do my every bidding?"

"Yes."

"Will you put your faith and trust in me despite what I tell you to do?"

"Yes."

"Good!" and Lucrecia softly pinched Aerith's cheeks. "Listen up. I survived this long because of my ability to mask my emotions and deceive people. Now, will you put your faith and trust in me and endure the hardships I can put you through?"

Aerith almost faltered. What if Lucrecia, like her son, proved to be a treacherous snake? But…she had nothing to lose.

"Yes."

"Marvelous!" Lucrecia clapped. "From this day onward, I shall put you Administrative Research Division. Turks for short!."

"T-Turks?"

"They're the fancy people who were black suits, take Vincent for example." She pointed to the inanimate object. "Reno and Tseng are Turks too, but they serve different people."

"What happens when I'm a Turk?"

"You can defend yourself, and my son can't beat you ever again."

Aerith didn't want to be beaten. She wanted to stand for herself. "Teach me what I must do to survive."

Lucrecia saw the determination in her eyes. "Don't worry. I'll do everything that I can. As long as you follow what I command you to do."

"


	13. What happened to Aerith: Part 5

The Crescent Family operated a profitable slave trade industry, funding several legal businesses they owned. The Valentines were simply another family of slaves they owned.

Grimoire Valentine had despaired, wondering if his family could ever escape from their predicament. God was kind enough to listen to his plight.

Good fortune befell the Valentines when their eight-year old son foiled and saved their master's daughter from a kidnapping plot. To demonstrate his immense gratitude, Lucrecia's father had freed them and generously relocated them to another place.

But Vincent had a different prospect in mind.

He requested to become Lucrecia's bodyguard.

For the succeeding thirty-five years, Lucrecia's father had trained him to become a killing machine-all for the purpose of protecting his beloved daughter. Vincent dedicated himself as her loyal bodyguard and as her confidant.

He would do anything for her. He would kill, lie or cheat.

But he could never express what her felt for her, nor could he openly reciprocate her affections.

The last time he went beyond his job description nearly killed Lucrecia.

No, never again.

Being beside the woman he loved was enough, even if she was married to another.

However, Lucrecia wouldn't settle for anything less.

And so, for the last twenty-nine years, she schemed and manipulated.

The once innocent and carefree woman he loved became cruel, conniving and sadistic.

"It's all an act" she had told him. "I'm doing this for my grand plan."

Seemingly, her grand plan involved the young woman she purchased from her son.

"Why her?" asked Vincent.

"She's a key."

"You mean there are other keys?"

"Vincent, you're asking unnecessary questions."

"Will you punish me then?"

"Cheeky fellow," Her soft hand lovingly rubbed his cheek. "I could feed you to the wolves if I didn't love you."

"I'd haunt you for life."

She laughed. "Should I end your life now?"

There were moments when he let his guard down and cherished casual conversations between them. Just like the good old times.

"Please train her."

He blinked. "What?"

"You heard me. I promised her she would be a Turk. Aerith needs to be able withstand the rigors of the future." explained Lucrecia. "I doubt if she's ever held a weapon, or if she's hurt or killed someone. I know my son has been hurting her… and I want her to be able protect herself."

"It's not as if you're going to let her go, right?"

"Promise me you'll train her and teach her to become capable."

Lucrecia never answered his question. "All right, I promise."

Vincent's marksmanship was well-known within the circles of the Turks. He was also proficient with a variety of skills and weapons.

Guns, swords, flails, maces, hand-to-hand combat, long-range, or whatever bloody weapon he could grasp.

The following day, Vincent brought Aerith to a room where an assortment of weapons was displayed. Knives. Swords. Tazer sticks. Axes. Maces. Flails. Spears. Arrows. Iron rod. Aerith had never seen a diverse display of weapons.

 _Zack would drool with delight if he sees this._

"Take your pick."

"But I don't know what weapon will suit me."

"Just pick one."

Aerith carefully inspected and the weapons. The knife felt too light. The flail was too flimsy. The mace was too heavy. The bow and arrow was too ridiculous.

When her eyes set sight on the leftmost weapon, she felt her mind protest.

A compact and portable would suit her, but her heart had its own opinion. No, it was too…preposterous!

Who in her right mind would wield an iron rod? The rod was heavy. But it felt right in her palms…

"This one."

"Are you sure you can carry it?"

"I'll manage."

"Move it around then."

Grasping the Iron Staff in hand, Aerith moved the weapon, familiarizing herself with it.

"It's 10 kilograms, but that's a good starting point. Are you sure you don't want the sword or the knife?"

"I want this one."

"Suit yourself, young lady."

Moving to another room, Vincent presented an array of crystalline orbs in different shades of colors.

She recognized them. "I have never seen this much Materia in my life."

"Materias grant immense power to the user." Vincent lectured. "You can customize the Materias based according to your fighting style."

Aerith took several minutes to think. "I want to withstand pain, so that no one can hurt me anymore. I want to learn to heal myself, so I won't be dependent on another's protection. And I want to be fast, so that I can escape when the bad people are about to come."

Vincent plucked the Materias according to her specifications and embedded it into the slots.

Once he was done, he returned the weapon to her. It was lighter than before.

"The combinations were difficult, but I managed to create what you wanted. You weapon inflict heavy damage, despite how light it feels in your hand. That's because of the _X100 damage Materia_ paired with the _Light Materia_. I also paired an _All Materia_ with the _Lightning one_. You can cast lightning to more than one opponent, and your weapon can also shoot electric currents if you hit someone."

He took out a pair of golden bangles. "Lucrecia ordered them for you. The _Heal_ and _Haste Materia_ are equipped in this accessory, but they aren't linked to each other."

Aerith gulped, trying to comprehend everything Vincent mentioned about. He motioned her to follow him, and he led her to an empty room.

"This is my personal training area."

Aerith sensed that Vincent wasn't an ordinary bodyguard because of the privileges he showed her. "It's painted white."

"Can you imagine Shinra painted in pink?"

She shook her head, trying to calm herself down.

"Lucrecia has instructed me to train you to be capable of defending yourself. God knows what she saw in you."

For the first time since her enslavement, Aerith saw a tiny flicker of hope. Her heart beat with excited trepidation.

On the other side of Midgar, Hojo was not too pleased with his son's decision to relinquish his slave to Lucrecia. Hojo called Lucrecia in his office. Their only son sullenly stood by the corner of the room, like a dog punished for disobedience.

"I've heard you purchases our son's little plaything."

" _That_ plaything has a name, Hojo."

Her husband scrutinized her through his glasses.

"I am going to train her as my Turk."

Sephiroth jaw's dropped. "Why?"

" _Why not?"_ challenged Lucrecia. "You've injected her with an untested Jenova drug _and_ you've planted the microchip-bomb in her. Why, it's as if she's a Shinra Employee! What has she done to you?"

"Nothing that concerns you, mo—"

"Your job was to look for females, bring them in, brand them and sell them, but you had to auction-"

"Enough." Hojo said in a sharp voice.

Lucrecia kept her tone down. "I'm talking about our business practices here. If our son follow a simple procedure—"

"Your son has a different plan in mind, wife."

Lucrecia kept her mouth shut. Arguing was useless with him.

"If you really want that slave, then fine. Keep her. I just don't want you interfering with our son's choices. He is our successor, after all."

With a wave of his hand, he dismissed her. Lucrecia went out of his office without another word. A few seconds later, Sephiroth ran after her.

"Mother, please forgive me."

"How could you?"

"You wouldn't understand." He tried to reason.

"A mother always understands." Answered Lucrecia. "Tell me when you're ready and I'll listen."

Months had passed, and Aerith was no longer the frail little woman she had been. Pleased, she had gained muscles, and the 10kg rod felt lighter. Under Vincent's tutelage, Aerith took on the Turk's Initiation Test and passed with flying colors. She had fought a blonde Turk named Elena. Within fifteen minutes, Aerith had pinned the woman on her backside.

Lucrecia was very pleased with her progress and accomplishments. "I knew you had potential."

"Thank you." expressed Aerith. "I wouldn't have made it this far if it weren't for you."

"That's the spirit!" Lucrecia exclaimed. "Now, what is the first cardinal rule of a Turk?"

"Don't ask irrelevant questions."

Lucrecia nodded. "Do keep that in mind, dear."

And so, Aerith began to accompany Lucrecia, much to Sephiroth's displeasure. Secretly, Aerith relished the good turn of events. Even if she couldn't escape Midgar, Lucrecia was a kind master.

Lucrecia sent Aerith to variety of odd jobs related to her former life. She would retrieve an assortment of plants outside Midgar. For the next three years, she had traveled to different town and cities…. but Lucrecia had strictly forbidden her to visit Nibelheim.

Aerith never contemplated escape. Not when the bomb insider her body could detonate anytime.

One evening, Lucrecia requested Aerith to report to her office after she completed a recent retrieval mission. The young Turk was greeted with the sight of her master's son, casually sitting on the sofa with his legs crossed.

"You're here."

Sephiroth's lips curled into a smirk, a mischievous glint in his eyes that she couldn't decipher. "I have a business transaction with my mother."

She couldn't bear to be with the same room with him and decided to wait outside.

His succeeding statement stopped her tracks. "I've heard my mother's been sending you to retrieval operations. How's the adventure? I'm sure you've seen a lot of the world. Too bad you can't visit Nibelheim or…. _boom._ "

Aerith didn't like the reminder of that bloody bomb implanted inside her body. "Whatever."

"Cocky, aren't you?" observed Sephiroth. "Why don't you sit beside me?" he patted the empty space on the divan.

Aerith shook her head. "I only answer to your mother."

"Is that so?" he drawled before looking away to close his eyes. Softly, he hummed a tune Lucrecia did whenever she was happy. Aerith wondered what he was happy about, or what his business transaction was with his mother.

But that was none of her business.

 _Don't ask irrelevant questions._

Lucrecia walked into her office donning her signature white laboratory gown with a briefcase in hand. Vincent tailed right behind her, before settling by the door.

"Welcome back, Aerith."

Aerith gave her the satchel of the latest plants she retrieved. Lucrecia thanked and asked her to stand beside Vincent.

Her son stood up to kiss her on the cheek. "Good afternoon, mother. How was your day?"

"Unpleasant, thank you."

Lucrecia _did_ look awful, Aerith observed.

"Are the papers in order?" asked Sephiroth.

"Yes." Lucrecia answered and handed them to her son.

A wicked grin illuminated Sephiroth's face and his gaze darted towards Aerith. She didn't like the way he looked at her.

"Give me her remote." Sephiroth requested, and Lucrecia handed him the device. then he approached Aerith. "Come with me."

"I only answer to your mother." She curtly replied.

Cruelly, Sephiroth pinched Aerith's chin between his hand. " _Now, you don't_."

Aerith's forehead crinkled. "What do you mean?"

"Don't play stupid." Answered Sephiroth. "Or would you like me to clearly spell it out for you?"

She turned to his mother, but Lucrecia's face was devoid of any emotion. "Go with him."

"Mrs. Lucrecia, I don't understand."

"I've sold you back to my son."

* * *

 **author's note:**

 **I will now be posting 2 updates a week (preferably Wednesdays or Thursdays, GMT +8:00.**

 **Special thanks to Kasey for expressing your thoughts! Cloud will be reappearing in Chapter 15 :)**

 **The story will probably be clocking around 18 or 20 chapters.**

 **Stay tune!**


	14. What happened to Aerith: Part 6

Her pristine well-tailored black suit became oppressive, constricting the flow of air into her body.

A hundred thoughts crossed her mind, but only three were relevant.

One involved wiping the arrogance from her new master's face.

The second concerned the dull pain in her chest that blossomed and raged, the way a fire devoured a forest into nothingness.

And third… Lucrecia's betrayal. Period.

All the years of training under Vincent flew out of the window. Of controlling anger. Of controlling pain. The emotions Aerith displayed gave her away, and Lucrecia could not help but embrace the young woman's tense body.

Being embraced triggered feelings safety and affection.

Lucrecia's embrace triggered anger and hate.

"I'm sorry, but I need to give you to my son again." Whispered Lucrecia.

"How could you do this to me?" Aerith said in a voice thick with pain.

"Do you remember what I demanded when I bought you from him three years ago?"

"To put my faith and trust in you"

"and?"

"...to endure the hardships you can put me through."

"You're a strong woman." consoled Lucrecia. "Trust me. When the right time comes, you'll be able to leave this nightmare... until then-"

"I must belong to your son again."

She released Aerith and turned her head to face her son. "Follow the terms in our contract, Sephiroth. You are not to physically harm her again."

He laughed. "I'm an honorable man, mother."

The look on Aerith's face said a different matter.

Three weeks later, Sephiroth called her to his office. He requested her to sit down as he poured the cool wine into the canter

"Do you remember the night I danced with you during your Prom?"

"I do."

"I was thinking," he sipped a glass of red wine. "We should have a little celebration."

She didn't like the expression Sephiroth wore. The man had plans. Plans Aerith knew she wouldn't like.

"You'll be dancing at the Honey Bee tomorrow."

"You want me to dance in a _brothel?"_ Aerith asked incredulously.

"Why not?" Sephiroth challenged. "I can do whatever I please with you… as long as I don't hurt that pretty fair skin of yours."

True to his promise, Sephiroth never laid a strong hand on her again.

He inflicted emotional wounds instead.

Within the colorful walls of Honey Bee, he made her strip in front of hundreds of guests. To make matters worse, on that same night, Sephiroth had taken something from her he had never taken before. If Lucrecia's betrayal had been cruel, shattering her trust and faith, then Sephiroth's actions trampled the fragments of those remains and her dignity.

Degraded, the soft satiny feel of the covers did little to comfort her. She curled into a ball, wiping the tears from flowing across her cheeks.

Lucrecia's image floated in front of her, reminding her of a message that would become her unlikely source of strength.

 _I survived this long because I'm good at hiding my emotions._

 _I survived because I knew how to deceive people._

At that moment, Aerith resolved to survive everything Sephiroth would put her through.

Until the _right time_ came.

Sephiroth sent her to the Honey Bee whenever she displeased him. Often, he sent her there for no reason at all.

Eventually, Aerith's determination to deceive him bore fruit.

Sephiroth infrequently sent her to perform at the brother. There was no joy in oppressing a wooden doll.

Aerith cherished this small victory in her heart.

The days turned to weeks and months. Two years had passed making Aerith wonder how long her determination would continue.

After failing a mission Sephiroth tasked her to do, he immediately sent her to the Honey Bee. There was no doubt he had sabotaged that mission. But who was she to complain?

Inside the brightly-lit dressing room, Aerith effortlessly applied make-up. The warm orange lights and the loud colorful outfits were her home for last two years. She had made several friends within the club. Some were slaves. Some were free women who sought employment because they had no other choice.

The women didn't know Aerith's Turk status. They simply knew her as the beautiful and elegant woman who infrequently performed at the Honey Bee.

Aerith was about to pile her heavy hair in elegant curls when a loud knock on the door distracted her.

"Come in." she answered without looking at her guest.

The loud thumping footsteps caught her attention. No one wore combat boots inside a brothel. She stopped what she was doing and turned around.

A figure draped in a black cloak stood in the middle of the room. Without a word, he placed an object on her dressing table. She didn't bother to look at it. Her days of working in the Honey Bee attracted a horde of suitors who often barged into her room, wanting to pay for _other_ services.

"I'm sorry, but I don't accept gifts."

"You'll like this." The stranger insisted, placing the small potted plant on her table within her range of vision.

She recognized that plant, including the deep voice belonging to a familiar person from a place she longed to return to.

Standing up, her hand trembled as she removed the man's cloak.

"Y-You—"

"Your make-up is so thick." he exclaimed, dabbing a finger on her eye shadow. "It doesn't suit you."

"You... insulting knave! " she croaked. "Zack—"

Like an older brother, Zack hugged Aerith, comforting her for the six long years they hadn't seen each other. Her mask fell away, revealing a broken woman and all the pain.

He offered her his handkerchief. "Your make-up is horrible. You should get a stylist."

Aerith lightly slapped his back. "How rude!"

He grinned. "Just kidding."

"How did you find me?"

"I received a tip from an anonymous person." He answered. "The people here said you were an infrequent performer, so I had to visit here every night for the past three months, hoping to see you. I was about to give up when I heard you were going to perform tonight."

There were so many things she wanted to ask him. Her mother. Cloud. Tifa. She wanted to ask how they were doing, but she lacked the courage to.

"How were you able to get a Pink Card?"

"Oh, I have my ways." He winked. "What's more important is I get you out of here."

Escape was a topic she didn't want to talk about. "I can't leave Midgar, Zack." She said sadly.

"Why?" He demanded. "Did you really fall for _that_ man?

Aerith confided what happened to her on the night Sephiroth kidnapped her. How she was branded and sold as a slave, how Lucrecia came to her life to save her, only to return her back to her tormentor. The more Zack listened intently, the more shame Aerith felt for herself.

"He basically controls my life with the press of a single button. If I only I hadn't met him six years ago…"

Zack's mouth formed a grim line. "Aerith, there's something I want to tell you too. About why that man came to Nibelheim years ago."

"He was on business in Nibelheim and searched for women to enslave. I was the unlucky one—"

"No." he cut in. "It wasn't a coincidence."

 _Not a coincidence? What was he talking about?_

"I believe that's enough, sir." Intruded another person. "There are matters which you have no right to explain."

Zack swung around to face their visitor. Aerith recognized the figure clad in the black suit. "What are you doing here, Tseng?"

"Keeping an eye on you. You never know when someone would come and take you away."

Nervously, she glanced at Zack. She knew he was a capable fighter, but Tseng was a different breed. He was cut from the same cloth as Vincent.

With their bare fists, Tseng and Zack exchanged blows. They struggled, thoroughly knocking several items in the small dressing room. Finally, Zack pinned the Tseng on the floor, his hands choking the breath out of the Turk.

"You're a strong man." Tseng wheezed.

"Ditto."

One of Tseng's fists pounded Zack's temple, knocking him to the other side. Instinctively, Aerith cast Heal on friend.

"You can use Materia." He observed in astonishment.

Aerith then cast a strong gust of Hurricane, throwing Tseng to the wall with a loud bang. Zack drew his blade and pounced on Turk, drawing blood on the man's forearm.

Tseng gasped as he felt the numbness taking hold of his body. "What's this?"

"That's the effect of the Paralyze Materia equipped to my Blade."

"I...can't believe I fell...for such a cheap trick."

"That's why cheap tricks work." Zack snorted.

He took Aerith's hand and led her outside The Honey Bee despite her warnings. They went as far as the abandoned playground in the outskirts of Sector Six, only to be greeted by a familiar foe.

"Long time no see, Zack." greeted Sephiroth. He unsheathed his weapon with slowness, making it hiss that frightened Aerith.

Zack armed himself in response. "I'm glad you still remember me."

"I believe you have something that belongs to me."

"You stole her."

"I bought her with all the legal documents."

"You bastard! I know the reason why you stole her from us. If you had only taken _that woman_ instead of her—"

Sephiroth struck first.

Aerith watched, transfixed with the sight of the two men dancing with their blades. Even if Zack was a competent fighter, he was no match for his opponent's frightening speed and technique. Sephiroth thoroughly thrashed the bounty hunter, proving his superiority over him.

"No, stop it, Sephiroth!" Aerith screamed, crouching over Zack's body covered with blood.

Sephiroth kneeled to strangle Aerith's neck. "So you thought you could escape, didn't you?"

"No, I tried to warn him I couldn't—"

"Do you expect me to believe that?" He angrily hurled her beside Zack's body.

A cool heavy object was slapped into her hand.

"Shoot him." he commanded,

 _No._

"Shoot him in the head. That's your punishment for trying to escape."

 _No!_

"Either I kill him… or you do." He reiterated. "Choose."

She closed her eyes. Maybe death was preferable. Maybe the feel of a bomb ripping her body into piece was infinitely better than what he wanted her to do.

"Don't worry about me." Zack rasped. "I knew that this was a suicide mission, but I still pushed through."

She shook her head.

 _No._ She possibly couldn't kill a friend.

There had to be another way. If she could shoot Sephiroth in the head instead...

"One day, he'll come and save you." Zack whispered. "When that day comes… promise me you'll tell him that I was happy he listened to me."

"Don't make me do this."

"I'd rather choose you to put a bullet in my head rather than that bastard!" he gritted.

Her tears came without much effort. Trembling she clasped the gun and crawled towards him.

"Do it." said Zack.

"How could you ask this from me?"

Zack smiled, a memory that would haunt her for the rest of her life. "I forgive you."

A harrowing echo disturbed the silence of the playground. The birds squawked, dispersing from their nests. The cool breeze of the wind hardened her heart with a numbness she had never known before. The river of blood flowed from Zack's body covered the earth, reminding Aerith of a stain that would never leave her hands.


	15. A House of Cards

An unpleasant knot of emotions coiled within Cloud's chest and abdomen. After watching the entire clip, he tried to decipher how he felt and how he was supposed to feel.

Disbelief. Denial. Anger. Hate. Pity.

The things he had seen were too much for him to understand. It was unfair to pin the blame on the person who was an unfortunate victim of circumstance.

It was unfair to blame her at all.

"You… You could have saved Zack." Said Cloud in a voice raw with pain. "You could have stopped your son. You could—"

"I can't change the past, Cloud." Lucrecia left her seat to stand in front of him. Her serene face was devoid of emotions. As if she wasn't affected with what they had seen.

"You're playing God for me and Aerith. Why couldn't you have play God to Zack as well?"

Lucrecia narrowed her eyes, irritation starting to appear in her fine features. "It's too late for regrets."

"You were the one who tipped him."

"Will saying _yes_ make a difference?"

"Why?" he asked. "You knew there was no cure for the microchip and bombs in her body. You knew escape was futile."

"It's not as if I told him to come and save her." she retorted. Folding her arms across her chest, she closed her eyes to reminisce what happened a year ago. "Zack chose to come and save her, despite the circumstances he knew she was in. If memory is correct, he acted upon the information several months after Vincent contacted him."

"Why didn't you contact me instead?"

"I never really considered you. Based on what she told me, I assumed you were a spineless young man who couldn't make up his mind."

 _Ouch._

"Where is Zack's body?"

"I tried to retrieve his body, but my son disposed it. I'm sorry."

Cloud buried his head into his hands, raking his blond hair.

"Why are you doing this? What do you really want us?"

"I want my freedom, Cloud. It's the only thing I've ever wanted."

"But you're a rich and powerful woman."

She removed her gown, displaying the mark she had shown Aerith. "Wealth and power means nothing to me if I can't have the freedom to be with the person I love and care for. I'll do whatever it takes to have it, even if the situation demands me to be a villain. In this world, either you let yourself be manipulated… or you manipulate."

If he had been a free man, he would never choose to associate himself with her. There was something peculiar about this woman. She treated people as pawns in her endgame. She could be cruel as she could be kind. She served no one except her own agenda.

Once he was free, he would never associate with her again. Definitely.

Even if she played the generous God during his stay here.

"Who is _that woman_ Zack referred to?"

"Hm," Lucrecia lightly tapped her cheek, thinking. "You'll know, soon enough."

"How long do I have to wait?"

"Cloud, there are things in life that you must learn how to wait. You must wait despite the hardships life will give, and when you persevere enough, life will handsomely reward you."

He wanted to hate her. This woman who acted as if she was God. But he knew he was the one on the losing side. He was the one who had so much to lose. If she didn't act as her dog, then he would be forever chained in this world… A world that destroyed Aerith's innocence and took Zack's life.

Vincent handed Lucrecia the small flash drive containing the files, and as promised, she dropped it on the ground, crushing it with her heels.

Lying on his bed that night, he turned right and left, looking for a comfortable position to relax. Even if he closed his eyes, his mind drifted to the scenes he couldn't blot from his mind.

How could she have survived what she went through?

How could she sleep at night, with the knowledge of what she knew?

Cloud knew she would never tell.

* * *

The Turks had their breakfast in groups of five or more people. Groups had advantages. Rookie seniors were less bullied by the seniors. Two, it provided a sense of companionship in their world.

But there were a rare few who preferred to eat alone.

Aerith, for instance.

He placed his breakfast tray in front of Aerith, surprising her.

"I prefer eating alone." she said without looking at him.

"I want to eat beside you."

"Go away."

"Will you put a bullet in my head if I eat with you?"

Her hand jerked, dropping the silver spoon she held. The silence between them was excruciating.

"I was just joking."

"Some jokes aren't funny." She sneered before moving away to dispose her tray.

Cloud almost swore Aerith wanted to stab him with her fork. Zack's death still affected her, he concluded.

Reno sat beside him, munching slice a of bread, ignoring the crumbs haphazardly falling on the table. "That was a dick move. Acting like a jerk doesn't get you your dream girl."

Reno was a strange fellow. They started on the wrong foot.

And now they were sitting & eating together, acting as if they were buddies.

"What does?"

He made loud smacking sounds, licking his fingers. "I'd take her far faaar away." He answered. "Before we go boom!" and he slapped his palms to add drama.

Cloud frowned. "That's not a helpful answer."

"It's an optimistic one."

* * *

Lucrecia's room had a spectacular view of Midgar's cityscape. _What a hellhole,_ she reflected. This was the city of her birth. The city her father had loved and invested so much into. It would be pity if she would gave up everything her father sacrificed.

But Lucrecia had already made her decision.

The clock was fifteen minutes past seven in the morning.

 _Yes, everything is about to begin._

All she needed to do was to speak with her husband for old time's sake. She couldn't pass the opportunity of flaunting to Hojo the fruit of her labor.

For the past twenty-eight years, Lucrecia knew he was sniffing her heels. He _was_ curious to whatever she was scheming about. The only time he came close to finding her secret was when he learned of Aerith's missions.

Lucrecia believed he was willing to claim Aerith as a conjugal property. She was her slave, after all. Hojo could have tortured the young woman to reveal her secret plans.

She couldn't risk that.

To avoid such compromise, Lucrecia unhappily returned Aerith to her son.

She had included several special clauses in the contract. _Don't_ _harm her physically. Don't let her be privately interrogated by Hojo._

Lucrecia's only mistake was to include clauses that protected Aerith from any emotional or psychological abuses. By the time she learned from Vincent about the Honey Bee incident, it was too late. The damage had been done.

Hojo had always respected their son's decision, and if Sephiroth was bound to prevent his father for extracting information from Aerith, then her secret was safe.

"This is rare. I can't remember the last time you invited me here."

Lucrecia turned around. She was expecting him, her husband. He wore an elegant navy blue suit with a black tie. The outfit only highlighted the severe features of his face.

"Sit down." She offered.

Hojo sat on edge of her bed. "You've always had good taste in interior design."

"Thank you." She answered. "Would you like some refreshments?"

"Coffee, please."

Lucrecia had already prepared a brew of black coffee and poured him a cup.

"Drink it first." He said.

She shrugged. "Suit yourself." And she sipped the cool liquid, not minding that Hojo's implicit message that the coffee was poisoned. After ten seconds, she offered him the same cup. "I'm still alive, as you can see."

Only then did her jerk of a husband sip the black coffee.

Lucrecia took her time, observing her husband possibly for the very last time. She knew Hojo was attracted to the proposition her father offered him many years ago. At the age of twenty-one, Hojo leveraged his best asset, his mind, despite being blessed with average-looks.

The Shinra Company was a profitable company. As a world supplier of Mako Energy, the company established itself as one of the most powerful companies in the world.

But every powerful company had its own secrets.

Shinra was initially built on from the Crescent Family's active involvement in the black market. Mr. Crescent's funding solidified the company during its infant stages.

When a young President Shinra decided that the human flesh trade could no longer be its singular fund source, they began to look for alternatives.

That was how Hojo took the opportunity to make a strong impression with the Shinra Board of Directors.

Hojo was one of Mr. Crescent's scientists. To stand out from his colleagues, he invented the Jenova Drug ,a violet colored substance that caused intense withdrawal symptoms to those taking it. This mechanism ensured that captured slaves could not easily escape.

Lucrecia's father was immensely pleased, yet Hojo wasn't satisfied.

To solidify himself as a valuable asset, Hojo made another bold proposition. This time, with Mr. Crescent's support, he presented it to the Shinra Board of Directors.

Aghast, the members chatted among themselves. "Create biological weapons? Are you insane?"

"It's a lucrative business deal. We can create various drugs to enforce the soldiers' strength... Or we can create biological weapons. Either way, the one people will pay for any price just to win a war."

"But what if they use the biological weapons against us?" a concerned board member raised.

"Don't worry." Assured Hojo. "I've implanted bombs inside crucial body organs . If they use the weapons against us, we can simply detonate the bombs inside their body."

"Magnificent! Very well, we will fund your proposal. If this proves successful, we may increase the shareholding Mr. Crescent owns up to 30%"

Several months later, Hojo's proposal was a success. Shinra raked in a ton of money more than ever and credited it to Hojo's project. As a token of their appreciation, President Shinra gave him 3% share of the company.

Mr. Crescent heaped praises on him. "How can I ever repay you?"

When Hojo had heard that question, a young couple had passed through his line of vision. They looked so happy together. Mr. Crescent had never seen the pair, but Hojo did.

"It's very simple, sir." He answered. "I want your daughter to be my wife."

The angry scream of an alarm disrupted her thoughts.

Hojo stilled, listening to voice over the intercom.

" _Warning! Warning! Warning! Experimental Bio-Weapons have escaped from their facilities. I repeat, Experimental Bio-Weapons have escaped from their facilities. All non-combatant Shinra Personnel are expected to evacuate to the nearest emergency exit. All Turks are to be prepared for combat. I repeat—"_

Hojo sprang from the bed, spatting out the coffee. "What the hell!" he roared. "Those creatures couldn't have escaped by their own!"

"...Unless someone let them loose." Lucrecia suggested.

"Impossible! No one can disarm the security locks I installed in the Bio-Weapons' Chambers…"

His voice trailed off as he looked at his wife.

Lucrecia's calm demeanor was inappropriate in the midst of this... disaster.

"You did this." He accused. "You unleashed those monsters. Do you know what you've done?"

"What are you so afraid of? I thought those things had bombs implanted in their bodies… unless you made that all up."

Rage clouding his gaze, Hojo strutted towards Lucrecia and strangled her neck. He shook her violently. "You purposely invited me here so that I couldn't block their escape."

Choking, Lucrecia mustered to flash him a saucy smile. "The party is about to begin, dear husband."


	16. Bait

Chaos erupted within Shinra Headquarters as frenzied footsteps and ear-piercing shrieks shattered the peaceful silence in the facility.

Turks present in the cafeteria during the announcement slipped through secret passages, leading to their Training Center.

Waiting for further orders, Cloud stood close enough beside Reno and Rude to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"This is bad." Reno whispered.

"Do you have any idea what we're against?" Rude questioned.

Reno looked right and left. "This is supposed to be a top secret that only the higher ups know. I've heard they're one of Hojo's pet fund raising projects."

"Then how the heck did you know all this?"

"No, don't expect me to explain everything. Vincent and Tseng know more than I do, they serve the Crescent couple, right?"

"Do you know anything Cloud?" Rude asked.

Startled, he shook his head. "Beats me."

Suddenly, a group of scientists appeared, carrying a basket full of pink-colored vials. Cloud recognized it immediately. It was the same fluid Lucrecia injected him during his recovery period.

One by one, the Turks were injected with it. Cloud noticed how their faces contorted several seconds after the drug was administered.

Finally, when it was his turn, he closed his eyes, anticipating the surge of energy that would follow. Like a blossoming flower, a potent force of energy flowed through his body, filling him with overwhelming power.

The pleasurable feeling lasted for several seconds until _it_ finally hit him.

A sharp pain exploded in his chest. Spikes of electricity traveled around his body, hitting his vital organs Cloud's chest tightened, making him gasp for air.

Cloud was still trying to catch his breath when Heidegger appeared. Carrying a thick folder, he guessed that he was one of the key people who knew about the Biological Weapons' existence. Whether the man was concerned with the jailbreak or not, Heidegger's facial expression gave no sign.

Only the beads of perspiration that matted his forehead gave any indication.

"As of 07:15, there was a mass escape in one of the underground research facilities. About five hundred Biological Weapons, or Weapons, as we call them, escaped from their confinement."

Heidegger carried a ball-shaped device and threw it on the ground. At once, a three dimensional hologram of the creature materialized, suspended in mid-air.

Six feet tall with pale translucent skin. The creature's long and lean physique had the elegance and stealth of a cat.

But it wasn't a cat.

It was a hybrid between a human and a dinosaur.

"Never underestimate them." Heidegger warned. "They are individually strong, but when they attack in packs, it can be your undoing."

The thing… had no eyes. Its distinguishing features was its red lips, revealing razor-sharp teeth, and a tongue that uncoiled itself long enough to reach its abdomen. Its torso belonged to a human, sinewy

The body was human's all muscle and sinewy with its protruding veins. The claws were the from the dinasour's. sharp. And legs from the dinasour. And a long tail.

While the 3D hologram rotated, it acted the number of ways it could.

It could walk like a human, run like a raptor, crawl like a snake.

Quick. Agile.

"As you can observe, don't let their lack of eyesight underestimate you. Their ears have compensated for that lack and they are very sensitive. Another fact worth noting is that these Weapons are very focused. Meaning, if they have selected a target, and in this case, you—"

He pointed to Cloud for emphasis. Heads turned to his direction. Cloud stood still.

"Expect that you will be ripped into shreds."

Cloud shivered.

"I advise you to work in team of two or more. If necessary, one of you has to be the bait. Make it your priority to decapitate it, then burn the corpse afterwards. The Weapon has regenerative abilities. No doubt it inherited from its lizard gene."

The Hologram disappeared. Heidegger looked at each and one of them and delivered his last instructions. "Rescue other personnel you must see. Do your best to stay alive."

* * *

After the announcement of the massive escape, Sephiroth marched into the Internal Security Control room to analyze the videos in the Biological Weapons' Facility.

His father was nowhere to be found.

Sephiroth ordered the personnel to collate each video and do a quick replay of everything that occurred within the last twenty four hours.

One by one, he painstakingly reviewed the videos, looking for any loopholes or breach in protocols. His father had designed the facility's tight security. It was, if not, one of _the_ best security measures Hojo had ever created.

 _Those Weapons couldn't have escaped by their own_.

The Weapons had a typical routine. Any scientist who would visit them had no fear of being eaten alive, thanks to the microchip installed inside its bodies.

At 07:00, the Scientists would visit to administer intravenous nutrition and other medications via heplock on its upper extremities.

After two hours, their bodies would be subjected to a grueling seven-hour experiment. The experiments ranged from pitting them against each other, or testing the effects of a new medication.

Afterwards, they were sedated until the time came to feed them before bedtime.

The routine repeated itself.

On the day of the breakout, everything was normal at 07:00.

Fifteen minutes later, hell broke loose.

Within their 50-meter sized confinement, the five hundred creatures roared. Their cacophony of shrills and shrieks rattled the scientists who rushed to inspect for any problems.

The scientists tried to subdue them with their respective remote controls to no avail.

By some miraculous misfortune, the device inside its bodies were unresponsive.

Five seconds later, the thick glass wall dividing them from the scientists shattered into pieces. The poor Shinra scientists, who were unfortunate to be in an unfortunate location, became food.

Sephiroth replayed the videos again. _It had to be an insider who had access to the records and the existence of the Weapons._

Everything went well until they received their intravenous nutrition.

 _Aha._

"Show me the recordings in the supply room."

An average person would have seen no problem in the video recording, but Sephiroth wasn't average. He immediately detected the subtle way a particular scientist handled the drug.

"Who is that?" he asked, pointing to the man who inspected the drug.

"He's the medicating scientist."

"Is he still alive?"

They tried to track the medicating scientist after he had administered the intravenous fluids. Once the Weapons went berserk, the man... simply vanished.

"Wow! Where did he go?" the one replaying the records gasped. "It's like he knew some secret hallways in that facility."

Sephiroth crunched his knuckles. The video confirmed his hunch.

* * *

Cloud found himself paired with two Turks he was never fond of. However, in their present situation, liking or hating them didn't of them had to be the bait, and he didn't want to be the one.

Blood smeared the white walls of Shinra. Severed limbs and decapitated heads littered along the hallway. The smell of blood saturated every corner they passed. Without warning, a distraught cry startled them. Rude pressed a finger to his lips.

"Ah, no. No! Stop, ahh-!" the voice cried, before another loud shriek silenced it.

The three,unable to control their curiosity, took a peek.

They were unprepared for the sight that greeted them.

A pair of Weapons had ripped a Turk into half, scattering blood across the hallway. Each creature happily feasted with the remains, making loud slurps.

"Now we understand why Heidegger said to work in groups." Elena whispered.

"It's the perfect time to strike." Cloud suggested.

Their conversation was loud enough to distract the Weapons from their feast, prompting them to stare towards the Turks' direction. Elena, Cloud and Rude retreated, panicking.

"What do we do now?" Elena gasped.

"One of us has to be bait." Cloud reminded them.

"Great!" Rude exclaimed, and without warning, pushed Cloud forward.

Stumbling, Cloud summoned his blade. Rude would pay for that, he cursed in his mind.

Then he saw the shadow of the Weapons on the floor.

Graceful like a cat, the pair stalked towards him, walking on its hind legs. The tall limbs covered with protruding green and blue veins flexed. With each step, their red lips widened, revealing a shark's razor sharp teeth.

The hologram didn't do justice to its grotesque beauty.

" _Hyuk hyuk hyuk hyuk."_

Cloud felt the heavy palpitation of his heart. Each beat violently thumped against his chest. His legs became heavy, almost numb to bear.

 _So this is what being a bait feels like._

"Snap out of it, Strife!" Rude yelled.

Elena and Rude charged and ambushed the Weapons from behind, effectively decapitating their heads as instructed. Almost immediately, Elena cast Flame on the remains, preventing them from regenerating.

Cloud tried to wriggle his numb toes and fingers.

"What's wrong?" Rude asked.

"It's just.. I couldn't stop staring at it. This thing had no eyes, but once you saw it, you could feel it was transfixed on you."

"No wonder Heideigger said someone had to be the bait." Elena commented.

"And focused. Remember when it locked on Strife? It hardly noticed us."

"Yeah. Thanks for pushing me, baldie." Cloud snorted. "You should try being bait the next time."

Rude reloaded his gun, smirking. "Too late Strife. You'll have to do."

* * *

 **AN** : So a _twice a week_ update doesn't work for me, I guess. I'll resume the previous schedule. Oh! and I also changed the rating from T to M (if anyone cares to read this section, that is. hehe).

FFM is my longest story so far! uwahhhh! The end is so near... I can really see it. XD

Many thanks to the readers who gave their time to read this fic!


	17. Damsel in Distress

**Chapter 17: Damsel in Distress**

 **chapter 17 is up! thanks for your continuous patronage :D**

* * *

The candle-like fingers tightly wrapped around her slender neck tried to choke her last breath. Looming above, her would-be killer, Hojo, looked at her with a face contorted with pain and anger, making him ugly and brutish. The killing intent was unmistakable in his eyes. It was understandable, after all, she knew his world was slowly falling apart... all thanks to her.

But shhe didn't plot and scheme just to be strangled in her bedroom. With every ounce of strength, she jerked a knee against Hojo's groin, forcing him to release her. His yell gave her a grim satisfaction as he rolled from the bed, grimacing in pain.

Lucrecia scrambled to reach the object hidden beneath her pillow. Her only defense for just-in-case scenarios like her present situation was. Hojo was about to strike when he froze at the sight of the pointed gun towards him. His heaving breathing punctured the silence between them.

He licked his lips, focusing on the gun in front of him, One wrong move would cost his life. "Just what the hell have you done?"

"Oh, nothing too trivial. I just helped those beasts of yours escape. No big deal."

His eyes widened. _"No big deal?"_ he repeated with exasperation. "You've released a horde of killing machines inside this building! Our scientists can hardly fight against them."

"I didn't know you cared about civilians, considering that _those things_ used to be civilians themselves!" Lucrecia sneered at her husband's surprised face. "You were so confident with the security you designed for that facility. Always boasting how impenetrable it was. Well, how does it feel that your very own wife just proved how penetrable it was?"

"Did you do this just to insult my intelligence?"

" _Insult you_?" she asked, then snickered. "I am trying to _destroy_ everything you worked for."

"Your father sacrificed a lot for Shinra. You're not only destroying me, but everything he worked for!"

"I didn't ask him to make those sacrifices." She countered. "I asked him to let me live as an ordinary citizen with Vincent, but he wouldn't…. because of _you_!" The gun in her hand trembled a little, but Lucrecia spoke with conviction. "This time, I'll make things right. I'll destroy everything you worked hard for, Hojo. Releasing those beasts was the first step."

"You fool!"

He lunged and reached for the gun. But Lucrecia wasn't the type to give in easily. From the birds flying by the window, the scene of a couple engaged in a violent physical fight made little sense. Neither did the splatter of blood that sprayed the glass windows.

On another floor, Aerith and Reno scourged the now horrific hallways of Shinra, painted with blood and the remains of their comrades. At the beginning of their hunt, both agreed she would play the Bait. Not that she wanted it, but because there was no other choice. She had already acknowledged that Reno was superior in strength and speed. If they wanted to quickly dispose their enemies, then Reno was the man for the job. So far, the arrangement brought the slaughter of more than ten Weapons.

"I can't believe Hojo created these beasts." Reno said, watching the corpse burn. The stench of burnt flesh filled their nostrils. It was strange, seeing a burning corpse within the white-painted interior of Shinra.

"It shouldn't surprise you. You know what he's capable in the field of science." Said Aerith.

"What a twisted corporation huh? It's all glamor on the outside, but when you look underneath, all you see is shit."

" _Hyuk hyuk hyuk hyuk hyuk."_

There was it again, the distinct shriek of the Weapon, a sound insulting, grating your nerves. Aerith swore she heard a body being dragged. Instinctively, Reno shushed her to avoid attention. Carefully, he peeked around, looking for the source of the sound. "Shit, this one's alone, but it's huge."

Aerith knew what she had to do. She revealed herself, waiting for the creature to finish feasting on the human. It would only be a matter of seconds before it noticed her. What was more seductive, a rotting carcass, or fresh mean standing in front of you?

 _One, two, three, oh yes, eye contact._

Its long tongue uncoiled, dripping blood on the floor. Fresh meat was more appealing for the Weapon as it abandoned the carcass it feasted upon. The beast stalked towards her with deceptive cat-like gait. She knew that that any sudden movement would prompt it to pounce on her and snap her into two.

But she wasn't afraid, she thought, even when she felt the Weapon transfixed with her. Gut instinct would warn you once you were its target. A sick and hollow feeling formed in the pit of your stomach.

She wasn't afraid. No, not at all.

How could you be, when Sephiroth made the last six years miserable?

 _Play bait. Stand like a statue. Wait for Reno… God damn it, it's right in front of me! where are you Reno?!_

The Weapon detected the ambush and angrily whipped its tail against Reno, throwing him several feet away. It hardly acknowledge her unresponsived partner sprawled on the floor because it was looking at her.

Aerith could only stand in awe, wondering her next move. _Shit, we're done._

* * *

Vincent busied himself with Lucrecia's last request. Inside her office, he patiently waited until every last file of her computer's hard drive was deleted. Satisfied, he uninstalled the device and broke it into half.

"That's destruction of private property." A smooth deep voice said. "Unless my mother ordered you to do that."

"She did."

"Why did she want you to destroy that? Was she…hiding something that she didn't want us to know?"

Vincent looked up to see Lucrecia's son casually standing at the door. "Your mother has her own agenda. It doesn't concern you."

"Not unless it concerns my father."

"What do you want?"

"What did you inject them with?"

Vincent's eyes narrowed. He didn't like the tone in Sephiroth's voice, not one bit. "I don't understand what you're talking about."

"I know you can come up with a better excuse." Sephiroth smirked. "What did you inject my father's creations with?"

A ghost of a smile appeared on Vincent's face. He said the same things as his mother. "Like mother like son, huh?"

"Answer my question!" he snapped.

"You'll learn soon enough, _Sephy_." He raised a syringe filled with the same liquid he injected the Weapons with. "Care to have a taste? This is your mother's latest creation."

Sephiroth's face irked hearing the childhood nickname Vincent once called him. He raised Masamune's sharp tip in anger. "Don't call me that."

Vincent sighed, hiding the injection from display. Taking his gun from the holster, he loaded it with six bullets. "Too bad kid, I liked you…even if you weren't my son."

* * *

Four hours after the announcement and tens of killed Weapons later, Cloud heard shrieks from a corridor not too far from where he stood.

"They must have encountered a Weapon." Elena said, as another loud screech, the distinct cry of the Weapon about to attack its prey.

"Should we save them?" Rude asked.

"They could be our comrades." said Cloud.

Elena arched a brow. "Comrades, huh? I didn't know you saw us that way."

Cloud glared at her. Damn Elena for bringing it up, he thought, even if she was correct. It was an open secret—Cloud never liked them nor did he like being a Turk. If it wasn't for Lucrecia's interference, the Turks would have never paid Cloud attention as well.

Was he worried for his other comrades? No. He was only worried for one person.

" _Ahhhhhh!"_

Cloud's heart skipped a beat, recognizing the owner of the distressed cry. He didn't waste any time and ran to the find the source. What if she was cornered? What if she was about to die? Damn it. He had to talk to her before those freakish things could kill her!

"Aerith!" he called, forgetting the value of silence and stealth.

The Weapon hovered inches over Aerith before turning its attention to him. Unlike the other weapons, this one was bigger and more fearsome.

Rude rushed to help Reno stand up. "What happened?"

Reno rubbed his shoulders. "It's a beast."

"Cloud, play bait!" Elena reminded him.

The other Turks dispersed, forming a position to take it down. The Weapon easily deflected their attacks and whipped them with its tail.

"Shit, you weren't kidding." Rude coughed. "I feel like a truck rammed me in the head."

"How can we decapitate that thing?" Elena wondered.

The creature hardly paid them any attention. It focused on Aerith again, and with one swipe of its arm, it snatched her body.

"Cloud!" Aerith cried.

The Weapon scurried away, carrying Aerith in its arms. Cloud hurried to follow them, casting several spells to slow it down. It hardly dented the creature.

Damn, why did it take her, of all people?

The Weapon decimated an elevator door and crawled upwards the shaft, leaving Cloud wondering how to follow it. He stuck his head inside, looking for any ledge to climb. Luckily, he noticed the built-in emergency ladder along the wall. He didn't hesitate to climb or else he would lose trail of Aerith.

The creature slammed another elevator door open and crept outside. Seconds later, the sound of a falling object zipped through Cloud as he ascended the ladder. _What was that?_

Reaching his destination, three other Weapons faced the one that kidnapped Aerith. It looked like they were arguing against each other, wanting to taste the meat the tall one brought.

This is great, Cloud thought. Now he had to deal with four beasts.

Alone.


	18. A Bodyguard's Promise

Thanks for looking forward to this chapter Kasey! Cloud will be taking a break while Vincent takes the spotlight in this part.

* * *

A burst of the fragrant Tulips greeted Vincent when the entered the hospital bedroom. His eyes fell on Lucrecia's fragile form sleeping on the bed. One little of normal saline solution infused with oxytocin was hooked at the bedside pole. There was an empty blood bag hooked as well.

The childbirth had nearly ripped her apart. Third degree laceration, as the obstetrician had explained, due to the baby's large size and Lucy's improper pushing.

What mattered was that after sixteen hours of labor, she was alive and safe.

He sat on the chair beside the bed, observing her pale features. He wanted to brush the tendrils of hair from her damp face, but didn't.

She stirred, and Vincent thanked God that Lucrecia finally opened her sherry brown eyes.

"Vincent?"

"I'm here." He answered, satisfied that he was the first person she looked for.

"I feel as if my vagina is going to explode." She groaned in a weak voice.

"You look like hell." He chuckled.

"I _feel_ like hell."

"You delivered a healthy ten-pound baby boy, of course." He reminded her. Lucy's obstetrician had diagnosed her with gestational diabetes seven months into her pregnancy. The doctor had advised to limit her food intake, or else her baby would have macrosomia.

"I'll never give in to my cravings again."

"I saw your blood glucose. It's normal now."

Lucrecia's facial expression became relieved. "Where's my baby?"

"He's in the nursery. I think the nurses are about to room him in any time now."

"Have you seen him?"

"He looks like you."

Several minutes later, a nurse brought her silver-haired chubby baby boy. True to Vincent's claim, Lucrecia's arms grew weary carrying the infant in her arms.

Then her son started to cry, wracking sobs that disturbed the mother.

"He's hungry." The nurse said. "Why don't you try and breastfeed him, Mrs. Crescent?"

Being a first time mother, Lucy was unsure how to feed a hungry, crying baby. After numerous tries, the baby successfully latched on her nipple, suckling the milk flowing from her breast.

"You lied." Lucrecia murmured as she hummed a lullaby.

"What?"

"He doesn't look like me at all."

The nurse laughed. "Newborn babies are usually red and wrinkled. It's hard to determine whose features they inherited."

"I certainly hope my son doesn't inherit anything from his father."

The nurse looked stunned, and regarded Vincent and Lucrecia with confusion.

Poor thing, Vincent mused, it was better to explain the situation as early as now. "I'm not the father." He clarified. "I'm her bodyguard."

"Oh," she said. "It's just that… I thought."

"No need to apologize." He smiled.

"Then if you'll excuse me, I must to return to the nursery. Kindly press the buzzer for a nurse at the station to assist you. Have a pleasant day to both of you."

Lucrecia nodded. "Thank you."

The nurse excused herself and left the pair. Vincent returned to the seat and watched Lucrecia breastfeed her son. If he had been an ordinary man and had met her in a different time, he would have been proud to see his wife nurse their son.

But reality, with her cold and cruel hands, opened his eyes to the stark truth. He was just a bodyguard, a former slave, and he had to content himself with that.

She cooed at the baby. "He's so tiny, and look at his hair! It's silver, just like my father's. I wonder what his eyes look like." Without warning, she pried the baby's shut eyes. Vincent jumped from his seat and lightly slapped her prying fingers.

"What do you think you're doing?" he snapped.

"Can't I see my baby's eyes?" she asked innocently.

"You can see them later. I mean, look, nurses apply an ointment on their eyes to prevent ophthalmia neonatorum."

"What's that?"

"A kind of eye infection."

Vincent grabbed a sun lamp by the corner of the room, plugged it, and switched in on. It emitted a warm orange light, too offensive for Lucrecia's tired eyes, but warm enough for the child.

"Phototherapy helps decrease the bilirubin in your baby's bloodstream. If you've seen a baby tinged with yellow-skin, that's what we want to prevent."

She gave him an appraising look. "You know a lot."

"It's my job to secure you and your child." He answered.

"It's as if you learned that because you're an expectant father." Tears began to form in her eyes. "I wish you were his father."

He hated her tears, and he'd do anything to stop her from crying. But she was reinforcing his foolish, impossible dream, and he had to shoot it down.

"We both know that's a silly dream."

"Nevertheless, it's a dream, and I won't give up on that."

He sighed.

"I'll find a way to remove the bombs and poison in our bodies, Vincent." She promised him. "And when that time comes, we'll run away from Midgar to start a new life. You, me…Sephiroth."

" _Sephiroth?"_

"I just thought of my baby's name. Isn't it lovely?"

It was a unique name, a tad too long though. "I'll just call him Sephy."

She arched a brow. "Isn't that girlish?"

"Sephiroth is too long."

She giggled before grimacing. Sephiroth had suckled too much. "The baby's a little greedy."

"Like his father?"

The color drained from Lucrecia's face, and Vincent realized it was a bad joke. "Newborn babies are generally greedy." Why had he to ruin this moment with reference to Hojo?

"I hope so." She whispered.

Both of them watched the baby, and finally, Lucrecia muttered a request. "Can you promise me something?"

He would do anything for her. "Tell me."

"Will you love and protect my son…as if he was your own?"

It took him several seconds to comprehend what she asked of him. It was too much. "You know that I'll always love you, and that anything that's a part of you, I'll love and cherish forever."

His statement brought a smile that brightened her face. "Just wait, Vincent. I'll find a solution, no matter what it takes, no matter how many years it takes, no matter how much pain I will endure."

"Isn't that too much to bear for your shoulders?"

She gifted him a smile. "I'd do anything for you."

"Would you be willing to become a monster for your dream?"

Her lips parted slightly before forming a straight line. She kept her gaze direct to his. "I would."

He didn't want her to throw away her humanity. "Don't follow Hojo's footsteps."

Minutes later, Lucrecia fell asleep out of exhaustion. Vincent removed the baby from her breast and covered her body with the blanket.

He looked at the fat infant in his arms. He smelled of freshly-washed linens and milk, a fragrant smell that followed babies after staying in the nursery room.

Sephiroth's fat hand reached for his finger and tightly wrapped around it. Vincent knew it was the palmar grasp reflex. It was just a normal reflex, and it didn't mean anything. Not that the child suddenly liked him or what. Sephiroth was only hours old, for God's sake.

Then the cute little thing giggled and regurgitated the milk it drank. The vomitus stained his crisp black suit, and he had to search for the nearest towel to blot the milk from the infant's mouth. Gently, he brought the child's chest over his shoulder and repeatedly tapped his back. Moments later, the infant burped.

"You burp just like your mom." He peered at Lucrecia to see if she was awake. "But don't tell her that or she might kick me in the groin." He snickered.

The baby still had its eyes closed, and he continued to pat his back once more. Sephiroth, he thought, was innocent of his father's crimes.

Returning the baby to the cradle, he covered his eyes with small cloth under the sun lamp. Hojo was still in his facility, busy with research. He would probably visit his wife and son tonight.

Vincent clenched his jaw. If Lucrecia hadn't miscarried her first child, _Vincent's child,_ as Hojo claimed, then maybe he would have a little love to spare for this silver-haired baby. His deceased son's half-brother.

But he loved her despite everything, and he would honor his promise to her.

* * *

Six years later, the baby boy grew up to become a darling handsome boy who attracted adoration from friends and strangers. Lucrecia had doted on her child, but Hojo regarded the boy with a distant reserve.

"Is something wrong with me, Uncle Vincent?" he asked with a sullen voice.

Vincent snapped his head to the young boy sitting on the sofa, swinging his legs.

"Why do you ask?"

"Daddy doesn't love me."

"He loves you kid."

"I wish you were my dad instead, Uncle Vincent."

His eyes widened with his artless remark. "Thanks, kid. But Hojo is your dad, and I'm just the bodyguard."

"Daddy doesn't attend my school activities with mommy. We don't have family outings together. He always makes mommy look ugly when he's in the room."

Vincent hoped this wasn't a case of Oedipal Complex and scratched his head. "Let's just say that mommy and daddy have differences."

The boy crooked his head. "What's _differences_?"

How do you explain that to a six-year old child?

"Mommy likes pink, but daddy wants blue."

"Can't they decide on one color?"

"Mommy and daddy are humans, and humans… well, they fuck things up." Sephiroth frowned. Uh-oh, that was not the response he was supposed to say. He had to say something, quick.

"Mommy said it's bad to swear."

Your mother swears a lot, he wanted to say, but now wasn't the time to say that. "Sorry about that, my bad." He grinned.

"Apology accepted." He smiled.

He really was a charming kid. "Your daddy loves your mommy, even if it looks like they aren't getting along." The words were difficult to come out of his mouth, but he had to assure that to the child.

"Do you want to know how your daddy will warm up to you?"

Sephiroth's eyes lit with glee. "Tell me, tell me!"

He smiled again and ruffled the boy's hair. He loved him, this boy who wasn't his son. "Listen and obey him, alright?"

"Alright!" he squealed, happy with his newfound discovery.

"Promise?" he raised his pinky finger.

Sephiroth raised his own finger and crossed it with Vincent's. "Promise!"

That was the last time Vincent shared a happy moment with him. Days later, the boy began to ignore him, much to his curiosity. At first, he thought it was amusing, but when the boy began to deliberately avoid him, Vincent knew something was wrong.

"Is something wrong kid?"

It was the first time Sephiroth regarded him with contempt in his green eyes, and it started him.

"It's your fault."

He didn't want to jump into any conclusions. "What did I do?"

"Daddy says you're the reason why mommy is unhappy with him!

So, the bastard finally decided to be honest.

"I hate you!" he screeched, kicking Vincent's shin. "I hate you! Why don't you go and just die!"

"Hey, hey Sephy—"

"Don't call me that! I hate you! _I hate you!_ " and the young boy ran away from him.

So much for giving advice, he sighed. Obey your mother and father.

Vincent never mentioned the incident to Lucrecia, but for some strange reason, she knew. "It hurts me that Sephy hates you."

"I did tell him to listen and obey his father." He snorted.

"I'll talk to him—"

"Don't. You'll only make matters worse. It's the truth anyway. It's not that Hojo poisoned his mind or anything."

Lucrecia balled her fists. "He's turning my son away from you."

"I'm not the kid's father. I'm just the bodyguard." He reminded her. "I think it's best if I kept my distance away from him."

Lucrecia realized Vincent would never change his mind. "I'll ask Tseng to look over him then."

"I won't argue with that, Tseng's a good guy" Vincent answered. Five seconds later, he added, "Now that Hojo has won your son over, I think it's high time you started to behave like a family with them."

Lucrecia wrinkled her brows and looked away.

"Is something wrong?"

"I don't like the interest Hojo is giving him lately. I'm afraid he might expose the boy to his experimentations… or projects."

"More like you don't want the boy to face the truth. You were ten when your father revealed to you the source of your wealth."

"I want to spare Sephy from that."

"You can't be a hypocrite, Lucy."

As long as they lived in Midgar and worked for Shinra, Lucrecia could never run away from the reality that the Black Market supported the life she had ever known. Nor could she run away that her husband was a chief scientist who made Shinra even more profitable with his special projects. There was no way she could hide that from her child for too long.

She bit her lip. "I just want a different future for him." She said, flexing the fingers of her hands across her chest. "I don't want him to be involved with the black market, the flesh trade nor the scientific horror Hojo does. My son deserves better."

"As long as we have these bombs and poison in our bodies, our dreams will only be dreams."

"Dreams without action is dead." She retorted. "And you know I'm doing something about it."

He narrowed his eyes. For the past six years, Lucrecia did her underground homework. She dabbled in Hojo's interests, and frequently spent her time studying botany. Why did she even bother with plants? For how long could he wait, he wondered, until Lucrecia found a miracle to their problems.

"Please, don't lose hope." She pleaded.

He looked at the ceiling. Was he foolish to believe, to cling on to hope? He loved her, but unless they left Midgar, they would forever be haunted by the specter of her husband.

"Sephiroth told me he wished I was his dad." He blurted, diverting the topic.

Lucrecia's eyes brightened. "Really?"

"Then your husband came in between and told the truth."

"Oh."

He laughed. "Don't worry. Even if Sephy hates me, I'll still love and protect him.

"What if the day comes when… he wants to kill you? What will you do?"

He looked into Lucrecia's face then, analyzing the emotions playing across her face. The hypothetical question frightened her.

"Do you really want to know?"

"The suspense is killing me."

He smirked. "I guess I have to keep the suspense longer then."

She slapped him on the back in response.

Looking back, he never really answered her question. Because in his heart, he already knew the answer.

And when Masamune's sharp edge greeted his delicate skin, slicing through the expensive fabric of his suit, wounding his abdominal organs, he knew that the answer was and still the same.

"I'm glad you weren't my father." Sephiroth sneered. "I would hate to kill my own father." He pulled back his weapon, drenching the floor with Vincent's blood.

Masamune hadn't pierced any vital organs, but based on the wound's position, he knew some muscles and blood vessels were torn. As long as his abdominal aorta was intact, he would survive.

"I would hate to kill my own son too." Vincent answered. "It's too bad I consider you like my own."

"Shut up!"

Vincent lost track of the time. Lucrecia should have been done talking to Hojo. What was taking her so long? Her long awaited dream had finally come to fruition, and she was taking her time to talk to her husband. And here he was, was fighting her son, bleeding to death.

If she didn't arrive soon, he calculated, the wounds and injuries Sephiroth inflicted would be the death of him. And he didn't know how she would take it. The love of her life, killed by her very own flesh and blood.

What a perfect tragic family drama, he contemplated, Shakespeare would have been proud.

"What did you inject the Weapons with?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"Don't prolong the suspense, Vincent."

"Maybe I should prolong it." he simpered, remembering a similar conversation with Lucy many years ago.

In anger, Sephiroth launched another attack. Because of the wounds inflicted on his body, Vincent could hardly deflect the blows.

They fought for almost an hour now, leaving Lucrecia's office was a bloody mess.

"Your mother will be mad if she finds her office half-destroyed." He remarked. "Will you, Lucy?"

Sephiroth whirled to the entrance door.

Lucrecia stood disheveled with her purple dress was stained with blood. "Drop your weapon." She gritted.

Vincent chuckled. "How did your conversation with Hojo end Lucy?"

Sephiroth finally noticed the blood stain on his mother's dress. "Whose blood is that?" his voice trembled.

Lucrecia didn't waste time with lies. "Your father's." she replied.

"Did you kill him?"

"Unfortunately, he's still alive." She answered. "And since I didn't kill your father, I presume you will let your uncle Vincent go."

Sephiroth's brows wrinkled. "What makes you think I'll spare his life?"

" _Because you will_." With impassioned eyes, Lucrecia took a black device from her pocket and pressed it.

Her son dropped on the floor, writhing in pain.


	19. The Tall One's Secret

**AN: I'm so sorry if I vanished for a month! I just realized that if I faithfully followed my schedule, I would have finished FFM . But life has taught me that things happen for a reason. FFM is about to near its end in 3 or 4 more chapters, and I'm thankful for the readers who've followed through this story since day one.**

* * *

The creature had led him through sprawling hallways and a dark, dimly-lit elevator shaft. An odd idea had then crossed his mind. Was the weapon, or the Tall One, as he decided to call it, actually helping him escape? Do you even consider a monster with razor sharp teeth an ally?

Any question Cloud had vanished as the Tall One obliterated the three Weapons in sight. It snickered as it meticulously squashed the head of one Weapon with its large foot. Then it stepped away, looking at Cloud as if urging him to deliver the killing blow. He used his flame Materia, casting a glowing flame devouring the bloody carcasses.

The corpses stank, filling the hallway with its rotten stench. The Tall One hissed, calling Cloud's attention before walking away.

Does it want me to follow it, he wondered, then remembering that the thing had Aerith, he hurried his pace. For an odd reason, Cloud felt the Tall One wouldn't harm her.

He had no idea where the Tall One planned to bring them, until he realized the thing brought them to the rooftop.

The radiance of the sun shone in full force despite the thick carpet of clouds. Carefully, he grabbed any steady fixture he could to balance himself. One wrong step and the strong winds would whisk him to away to death.

The Tall One had released Aerith to the ground, but the strong gust of wind kept her from moving far. Like Cloud, she feared that the strong winds and clung to the creature for protection.

Cloud inched closer to Aerith, finally holding her in his arms. She tightly embraced him, fearful of her experience, and he allowed her. Whatever the Tall One's reasons for bringing them here, he was determined to find out.

A staccato of clapping hands broke the silence. From the shadows, a figure clad in a black suit stepped forward. "Can you taste freedom?" Tseng remarked, looking calm and composed amidst the strong winds surrounding them.

"More like I can taste my death if I fall from here." Cloud answered back.

"Were you here all along?" Aerith asked.

"Since we were deployed to hunt all Weapons." Tseng answered. "But I'm glad the two of you survived. If it weren't for your good friend here, both of you would have been dead bodies."

Cloud's eyes narrowed. "Good friend?"

"It's rude not to recognize an old friend, most especially when he risked his life just to reunite the two of you."

"What old friend?" Aerith and Cloud chorused.

Aerith scrutinized the Tall One's features, looking for any discrepancy, any discriminating mark. And she found it, a mark so subtle one could have ignored it. A round mark on its forehead, as if a bullet had pierced its skull.

She covered her mouth with dawning horror. "This can't be."

If Cloud hadn't seen the footages Lucrecia had showed him, he wouldn't have an idea about what she was panicking about. But he had seen them, and like her, he could hardly contain his shock. "Zack?" he whispered.

Tseng watched their gaping faces and decided to explain what happened to their friend. "After Aerith shot him at point blank, Sephiroth tasked me to deliver the body to the morgue. But Hojo had other plans. He thought your friend was an interesting specimen and took the body for himself."

Cloud balled his hands tightly. "Was he still alive when Hojo took him?"

"He was dead." Tseng recalled. "But you know what Hojo can do in the name of science. He can raise the dead, if he wanted to. And he did. I won't delve into details, but Hojo fused his body with other creatures. Does it ease your guilt a bit to know that Zack is still alive, Aerith?"

She wasn't even listening to him. Unwanted tears spilled from her eyes, and she caressed the Tall One's face. "What have they done to you?" she cried.

"Does Lucrecia know about what happened to him?" Cloud asked. "She arranged Zack to infiltrate Midgar."

"She was a little too late. By the time she discovered his whereabouts, Hojo had already fused him with other creatures. But she didn't give up. With the appropriate bribery, she was able to gain access to him, or his remains. What startled her was that he was able to retain a part of his soul despite the experiments Hojo subjected him to. Not all Weapons are sentient. Some kill for the thrill. Some kill because they're programmed to."

Aerith was still distraught. "He can't… he can't go back to the way he used to be." She said. It wasn't a question. It was a statement of conviction.

Zack was never going to be human again, Cloud realized, and that fact hurt him, the same way it was hurting Aerith. He had enough of the games the Crescents were playing, and the secrets they hid from them.

"Tell us everything you know, Tseng. Tell us everything you plan to do with us."

Tseng exhaled. "You know how Lucrecia will hate me if I steal her lines."

" _Tell us!"_

Cloud's rage hardly broke Tseng's composure. "Such impatience! Very well then. Do you trust Lucrecia? How about you Aerith, do you still trust her after everything?"

Aerith's eyes were red. "Yes."

"Then you should trust me when I say that you can run away with Zack… _now_."

Cloud clenched his teeth. "You know we can't run away with the things flowing and implanted in our bodies."

Tseng folded his arms. "Well, you can now. The drug that was injected in the assembly room neutralized the microchips and the Jenova drug circulating in your bodies."

Cloud and Aerith's jaws dropped, and Tseng could hardly restrain the smirk on his face.

"I hope you're not joking." Cloud said, thinking how the drug felt different. There were so many questions swimming in his head about their newfound freedom. "Who formulated the drug?"

"Lucrecia did, with you and Aerith's help of course."

Aerith's brows wrinkled. "I don't understand."

Tseng tapped his temple. "Think deeply Aerith. What did Lucrecia order you to do when you were working for her? Weren't you busy foraging plants from the wild? Didn't you cultivate the seeds Cloud retrieved from the sewers of Midgar? Lucrecia spent most of the last thirty years researching about a non-invasive procedure to disarm the machines embedded in our bodies. She had to deal with two stones—the microchip and the Jenova drug. She figured that if she could introduce a drug that could neutralize the microchip's properties, and purge the Jenova drug, then she could leave Midgar and start a new life. For years, she requested me and Vincent to collect plants around the world. She researched for different substances to achieve the desired effect. The one day, after mapping the sewers, she found her answers. There was a region that seemed to neutralize the effects of technology. It never bothered her before but when she thought it was the solution to her problem, and you know what happened Cloud."

Suddenly, it made sense. So the plant quest actually served a purpose, Cloud realized. All the nonsense missions Lucrecia ordered him to do. All that flower hunting. All that useless plant collection. It was all for this grand scheme of hers. Her dream. Thirty years in the making.

"Where is Lucrecia?"

"I heard she met with her husband. Probably to gloat about her achievement or what. I don't really know."

"And Sephiroth?"

"He's pouring over the videos. If my hunch serves me right, he's hunting Vincent down now."

The winds flapped strong as ever. And Cloud felt unsure. If they could really go. It all felt so simple. As if they were walking away from a bad dream.

Tseng cocked his head. "Well, what are you standing for? Why don't you go? I'm sure Zack here can ferry the two of you outside of Midgar. He's been genetically enhanced. He can generate a limb or two if he falls badly."

Tseng was making it sound so easy for them to leave. He turned to Aerith, expecting her to be happy.

She wasn't.

"What's wrong Aerith?"

"It's all so simple, Cloud." She told him. "It's easy as, _hey, you can finally leave now_."

"But we can!"

"I… I don't know."

What did she mean she didn't know, Cloud thought irritably. "This is the climax of Lucrecia's plan."

"And she's not even here to tell it to our face?"

Ah, so that was the crux of the matter. "Does it matter?"

"It does!" she cried. "I spent six years waiting for her promise that's as simple as this?"

"What were you expecting then?" he grumbled. "That some God would annihilate everyone in front of you and show up to tell you that you are free? That God will just wipe you out clean?"

"Cloud, you don't understand me,"

"That's right, I don't understand what's going on in your head right now."

"Hey hey, knock it off." Tseng interrupted, waving his hands as he stepped between them. "The two of you have the perfect chance to leave and you're just wasting your time arguing. If the two of you really want to argue, why don't you do it somewhere safe? You'll never know whether Hojo or Sephiroth appears here."

Cloud faced Aerith. There was so much to talk between the two of them. "Tseng's right. The longer we stay here. The more dangerous it is." Carefully, he walked towards the tall one. Zack. It was hard reconciling the beast he had become. How did a beast retain its humanity?

"Zack can't return to his former life, can he?" Aerith asked Tseng once more.

He answered her with a question in return. "Can the three of you return to your former lives, as clean as a white sheet?"

No, Cloud thought with sadness. Zack would never regain his human form. Aerith could never wipe the ugly memories she had been through. And he wouldn't remove the Crescent family from his mind, nor his experiences as a Turk.

"What about you Tseng?" he asked.

"I'll live." He answered simply. "Don't worry. We'll see each other in the future. Just focus on… surviving."

Aerith was still silent. Still not facing him. He would deal with her later. But for now… there was their escape. "Zack, take us away."

The Tall One gathered them in in its arms. Bracing itself, it faced the depths of Midgar. Then it plunged down.


	20. Irrational Fears

**4/22/2017**

 **This chapter had to go through numerous revisions. I wrote 800 words with Aerith trying to kill Zack, but if felt so wrong that I had to rewrite it. There's always the possibility that I'll rewrite this chapter in the future. Until then, I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

 **\- Chryselis**

* * *

Soaring doves were a common sight in the bleak Midgar skies, but a monster carrying two human beings were a different matter. So when that grotesque creature landed in front of their faces, their screams woke the dead. Well, almost.

Zack didn't waste his time, pouncing his way through the crowd, killing a few civilians and officers who were unfortunate to be in his way. Cloud lamented the needless deaths, but escape was crucial, and it was a necessary price to pay.

Nimble and quick, Zack ferried them from the center of the city to the outskirts of Midgar. A group of enforcers blocked their path, prompting Zack to jump nearest high-rise building, creeping like a lizard. The tall buildings faded from sight as Zack maneuvered himself between the building, causing chaos and a symphony of shrieks on each place he crossed.

Their only hindrance was the large wall protecting Midgar. They didn't waste time. Zack crept as fast as he could, the barren field surrounding Midgar to reach the nearest dead forest. Shinra had leeched the Mako energy in the eastern continent, draining the earth from life. Dead or not, as long as the trees provided the cover they needed, it would suffice.

They had been running for hours in the woods when sun had finally crept down the western horizon.

Zack had stopped beside a cave with access to running water, carefully releasing his friends who had clung to him for life.

"Thanks," Cloud said, still adjusting to Zack's new face.

Aerith, however, ran to the nearest corner and puked the contents of her last meal. Concerned, Cloud approached her from behind, attempting to make her feel better, but she pushed his hand away. "Leave me alone." She said, before vomiting again, neither facing nor talking to him.

He looked at Zack, whose face still unsettled him. Should he trust her with him? He had no idea if the thing was still Zack, bu his stomach was making sounds to loud enough disrupt the silence in the forest.

"Watch Aerith for me while I hunt for food." And he vanished, leaving the two to fend for themselves.

* * *

There was always the fear that Tseng had lied to them, she thought as she vomited the contents of her stomach.

Their escape had been so easy that it seemed like child's play. Her freedom had actually depended on the plants she had foraged many years ago? Botany? Come on!

Fear and anxiousness had been her best friends ever since Lucrecia had returned her to Sephiroth. Promises, for example, were meant to pacify, to give hope in the darkest of moments, to give a sense of security. Although she trusted the older woman with keeping her promise of freedom, there were matters that could never be repaired no matter how hard you tried to put a band-aid on it.

What seemed to be a goal so far away was finally in front of her, and to her damnation, she couldn't enjoy the luxury of freedom. What the heck?

She was finally free, with her prince charming whom she put through misery for the last months. She had known the hardships he went through, hardships that were tame compared to hers. Lucrecia was a kind master, and Cloud wouldn't have trust issues compared to her. If Cloud had experienced how cruel Sephiroth could be, then perhaps he wouldn't be so optimistic. But he didn't, and thank God for that.

Aerith hoped that Sephiroth was rotting somewhere in Midgar, or that a Weapon had eaten him alive. Lucrecia and Vincent were still missing, and she hoped they were alive to explain things clearly. She was dissatisfied with Tseng's answers. One could only hope now that a bunch of monsters were wreaking havoc in the most powerful place in the world.

Cloud had returned with wild game, and set up camp. He cooked for them, offering her a whole piece of rabbit, and a large deer for Zack. Zack had turned his back from them, making loud slurping sounds as he devoured the poor creature.

"You don't look so happy." Cloud observed.

"I am happy."

"Then why the long face?"

"It's none of your business."

"I risked my ass for you, so i think it's part of my business now."

"I don't remember asking you for help."

Cloud scratched his head. "Not even a word of thanks?"

"Thank you." she grumbled.

"How about saying thank you with feelings?"

He was so damn annoying. "I've already thanked you, what more do you want from me?"

"Maybe a trace of kindness, or a trace of gratitude. Sincere gratitude, the way you looked at me before, when I first visited you in your house."

Aerith froze. She had put up a strong front during the last years, putting a mask that was invulnerable to pain. She had worn it for so long that she wondered if she could ever remove it from her face, if she could remove this sick pessimistic personality she had and return to her old self-The one who only knew how sunny the world could be. The one Sephiroth had trampled to pieces.

"I don't know." She answered, biting the chunk of meat that seemed bland to her tastes. "I'm not the same person I used to be."

"Tifa said the same thing." he remarked. "You could always try. It's never too late."

"You don't know what I've been through."

"I know everything."

Aerith gaped. "What do you mean you know?"

Cloud paused, as if hesitating with his next statement, wondering if it was the correct thing to say. He said it anyway. "Lucrecia had a compilation of hidden cameras scattered around Midgar. She showed me everything, from the moment you were auctioned to the highest bidder."

It took seconds for his words to register in her mind. Aerith turned deathly pale, the color draining from her lips and cheeks. She averted her shut eyes from him, feeling her body stiffen.

Shit, how was she supposed to face him now?

He knew she had been kidnapped from Nibelheim, auctioned as a slave, sold between mother and son, forced to be a stripper, and gunned Zack on the head because it was the lesser evil.

The shame that bubbled in her was too much, and she chose the best thing to handle it. She laughed, the sound echoing through the darkness of the night, unsettling her and the man in front. When she looked at him again, her eyes were indifferent, and her voice almost mocking. "So you've seen how dirty I've become. Poor Cloud, and I thought the sight of me strip dancing was too much to handle."

"You didn't want those things to happen to you."

"Does it disgust you to learn how I fell from grace? How I became trash?"

"No—"

"No one will accept me in Nibelheim, not even poor Elvira. They would just pity a trash like me, and I don't want their pity-"

"Stop it!" and he raised his palm, slapping her delicate face to silence the hurtful words she was saying.

"You slap like a girl," Aerith chided him, touching the red mark he inflicted on her face, hoping he didn't notice her trembling hand. "Is that your way of keeping me silent? Sephiroth used to hit me much harder."

"I'm sorry." He said, keeping distance from her, looking ashamed that he resorted to physically harming her.

"The truth hurts, Cloud." She said, before turning her back from him, settling on a space not too far to lay down.

Aerith closed her eyes, willing herself to sleep, wanting to forget everything and the ugly memories.

But she couldn't sleep, not when the blasted tears streaming from her face, damn it. Crying never helped her, and it wouldn't help her now. She had no need for the tears sliding down from her eyes. Why was she crying anyway?

That Cloud had discovered the truth she could never admit to him? Of her old self that Cloud wanted to see again? Of the person she had become? of the experiences she went through that would haunt her for the rest of her life?

She didn't know the answers, and would rather deal with them tomorrow, or later, or even maybe forever.

* * *

It was a surprise how he was able to maintain a shred of his sanity, given the bullet Aerith delivered to his head.

His death had been quick. For a fraction of a second, there was a sharp pain, followed by oblivion.

Then the mercenary named Zack had ceased to exist. That consciousness was no more.

But as if waking from a bad dream, he regained consciousness, not in a warm bed, but inside a laboratory with hundreds of intravenous lines connected to him. A dozen of scientists who looked at him, pinched him, dissected him and worse, subjected him to experiments that nearly killed him the second time around.

If he had been able to, he would have screamed at them, pleading them to stop, but he could only croak strange sounds. And he hated being helpless.

The experiments had been painful. They didn't even bother giving him anesthesia, and each slice from the scalpel hurt like hell. The pain drove him to lose consciousness many times.

And it was one time that he realized that his body was no longer the same.

He had been thrown into a pit with other grotesque-looking creatures. Either they killed him, or he killed them, and Zack decided on the latter. And when he saw his reflection on the mirror, he had howled in misery and pain. His good-looking physique was no more.

He looked like a blasted lizard with a swath of red lipstick, and he would kill those damn scientists for that.

Or maybe, he would kill that guy named Vincent, the one who tipped him about Aerith's whereabouts.

In hindsight, it was a suicide mission. If he hadn't been a hopeless romantic, he would still be in Nibelheim, doing odd jobs and reading romance novels for his spare time. He would have chilled out at Tifa's café, poking fun at Cloud's miserable face as he pined for a green-eyed woman who vanished years ago.

But he was a to be a hopeless romantic.

He had been sleeping when he heard voices approach his cage. He raised his head, surprised to find two figures wearing ridiculous labcoats, as if they didn't want to be recognized.

"Is he the one?" asked the one on the left. There was no disgust in her voice as she appraised him, only a curiosity that seemed to sooth him. Looking closer, she was a spectacular woman who looked to be in her later thirties, or early forties. Zack couldn't pinpoint what it was, but something about the woman was strangely familiar.

"There's a bullet mark on his forehead, the one Aerith delivered."

The woman squinted her eyes at Zack. "Aerith shouldn't know he's still alive then, it would only break her heart."

"Isn't that ironic, Lucrecia? You and your son have broken that woman's heart numerous times."

 _Her son?_ Zack blinked, then he scrutinized her face again. The face, the eyes, the nose. God damn it. She was Sephiroth's mother!

Even if he could no longer speak, he growled, lashing out at the two.

Lucrecia's eyes widened. "Does it understand us?"

"It must be expressive aphasia." Vincent blurted.

"But of course!" Lucrecia's eyes lit with wonder. She touched the glass dividing them, and spoke. "You understand me, don't you?"

Zack growled. _Damn you, of course I do._

 _"_ I'm the wife of the man who put you in this laboratory, and I'm the one who can help you and Aerith get out of here."

 _What crap was this woman up to_ , Zack wondered.

"Right now, my husband has implanted a microchip inside you. That chip has the power to kill you. One press of a button and you will die."

That was what Aerith had told him as well.

"But I have a plan." she told him. "I'm devising a way to disarm that chip inside our bodies. and when that day comes, I will need your help. Do you understand?"

Zack didn't lose how she used the word, _their._ So the woman was also under her husband's control.

And so he trusted her, and patiently waiting, bearing the horrors those damn scientists inflicted on his body. Sometimes the pain was too much handle and he lost control of himself, the wild animal instinct overtaking him. The possibility that he would lose his consciousness scared him, and he hoped he would retain a bit of his sanity.

If Aerith was able to withstand this bullshit for five years, then he would be able to stand it, until the promised day.

The hours faded into weeks, and when the promised day had come.

Zack had been used to the drugs injected in his body, but he was unprepared for the drug that had administered on that promised day. A sudden electric jolt burst inside his body, and for a split seconded, he felt something had exploded in his body.

"Cloud is here. Take them to the rooftop. " the man said, before disappearing.

That was all the cue he needed.

The loss of his old body had depressed him, but he had this strange ability to look at the positive aspect of life, the saying of yes to whatever the world had thrown at him. And if the world had decided he was to be a freaking lizard with hideous lipstick, then so he would be.

True to his promise, he killed the scientists who tortured his body for the last months. Without difficulty, he left the underground facility and searched for his friends, until he found Aerith looking fabulous in a black suit.

Aerith had wanted to be a damsel in distress, and Zack obliged, taking her away, letting Cloud chase them all the way to the rooftop.

He was excited to see how the two would react to their newfound freedom, and to his frustration, there weren't. Not when Aerith was carrying emotional excess baggage.

Holy shit, Zack groaned, he didn't allow himself to be a sacrificial lamb just to see the couple he was rooting for bicker like idiots.

He would do something, and if he had to create a little drama to unify them, he would do it. Cloud and Aerith would return to Nibelheim safe and sound, never mind if he couldn't.

He was a lizard with outrages red lipstick. Well, screw that.

He wasn't that first human to be experimented upon on, and certainly not to be the last. But as long as he had a shred of his consciousness, as long as he had this optimism, it was enough.


	21. A Wound that Never Heals

**Writing a story is more fun when you're listening to a soundtrack, I realized. I'm currently writing an FF8 fic with Mell's Red Fraction playing in the background, strangely, Red Fraction suits this story too!**

 **I've been listening to Yoko Shimomura's City of Flickering Destruction while writing this chapter. If you haven't heard of it, please check it out. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Life on the road meant days foregoing the luxury of a hot bath, a decent meal and a good night's rest. Cloud was exhausted. If his appearance said otherwise, his training as a Turk bore fruit. A Turk looked fabulous in times of distress, Lucrecia once told him, and she drilled the concept in him, hoping her protégé absorbed the lessons.

Lucrecia would have been proud of him.

"The suits are too obvious," he told Aerith as they stopped by a nearby village whose name he didn't bother knowing. "We need to change."

Aerith looked dazzling herself. Lucrecia would have been proud of her as well.

"There's a house over there." She said, pointing to a house several miles away from them. Freshly-washed clothes hung from the clothesline. Perfect. If they could get those clothes, they nailed the perfect cover- A couple traveling towards the Eastern continent. No one would suspect them, neither would they question the large object they were dragging with them.

"The coast is clear," Cloud murmured.

Aerith arched a brow, her tone incredulous. "Don't tell me you'd stoop as low as stealing someone's belongings."

He wouldn't apologize for his actions. "That's how I got the Pink Card, so don't look at me like that. I had to do what I had to do."

"We can always knock the door and ask politelty."

"Then we'd look suspicious."

"We don't look suspicious."

"People in black suits knocking doors and asking for clothes are suspicious."

Aerith sighed. "True, but if the owner happens to be a young man, perhaps I could work my charm—"

"—No" Cloud snorted, and he focused his attention on the various articles hanging on the clothesline.

"You could let me try." She insisted.

"We can't afford to be seen or we'll be recognized." He snapped. News had already exploded about the incident in Shinra, where ex-Shinra personnel had stolen one of the company's prized projects. A Wanted Bulletin had been posted in every Shinra holding, and the immigration was already notified of the people involved.

There was no news about the massacre inside Shinra, the Bio-Weapons, and the black market. Shinra had done a good job in covering their tracks. Well, Almost. Lucrecia wasn't finished with her job, promising to ruin everything her husband worked for. It was only a matter of time.

If she was still alive, that was.

Shinra was in deep shit, Cloud thought, and if they wanted to get out of that shithole, massive effort could counter the damage Lucrecia had done.

Never underestimate a woman scheming for the last thirty years, he snickered.

Then Aerith was in front of the house, knocking on the door. Mother of God, what the hell was she thinking?

The door opened, revealing an eight year old with bright blue eyes and a mop of blond hair. "How may I help you?" he asked politely.

"Well, I'm Aerith, and this here is my friend, Cloud. We've been traveling for days now, and we thought it would be nice if we had a nice bath and a change of clothes."

The boy looked at her skeptically. "You're a stranger. Mommy said I shouldn't talk to strangers."

A haunting look flashed through Aerith's face, so subtle that Cloud thought he dreamed it. "Well, I know you have a collection of Marbles." She said, diverting the topic.

"How did you know I have marbles?"

"Every eight year old boy has a collection of marbles, "she said as a matter of fact. "I have a suggestion, why don't we have a trade?" Aerith presented three large Materias; a light blue, a light green, and a deep fuschia. "I'll give my marbles, in exchange, please let us have a bath and a change of clothes."

Poor boy.

Conflict was written all over his adorable face. Cloud knew he was tempted, oh so tempted to take the Materia. Between a parent's instruction and the allure of a brand new toy, the latter won out, and the boy found himself the owner of three invaluable Materias.

Marbles, Aerith had insisted.

He didn't want to ask where the boy's parents where. He just wanted to have a nice warm bath, soft comfortable clothes, and a ride going back to Nibelheim. It wasn't too much to ask for, was it?

After changing, Aerith kissed the boy's forehead and bid him good bye. The little boy held her hand. "Please take this, miss." And he handed her a loaf of bread, a gallon of milk, and white cheese.

Aerith gaped. "But we didn't ask for this."

"I know I'm not supposed to talk to strangers," he spoke sheepishly, "But something tells me that you really need to go somewhere for you to give me that Materia. I know they aren't marbles. They're Materia. Dad talks about them all the time, and I know their worth more than the hot bath and clothes I gave you." He scratched his head. "So please, accept this."

Aerith smiled, and graciously accepted the gifts.

"That was rather stupid" Cloud told her as they made their way to Junon. "He could tell the authorities."

"I don't like stealing."

"He's a darling boy, isn't he? His mother told him not to talk to strangers, and he broke that one rule for us."

Aerith smirked. "I talked to a stranger and look at where it led me."

Cloud rolled his eyes, wishing he had kept his mouth shut.

* * *

The boy's artless statement shouldn't have affected her. But it did affect her, unfortunately. It reminded her of a time when she should have listened to her own mother. But that was all in the past. No use crying over spilled milk, as she used to tell herself.

The future was much more important, and at this moment, her eventual return and reintegration in Nibelheim was her next project in mind.

Was it really possible to return to her old life? Oh, she doubted it. No matter how optimistic Cloud was about their future, she doubted if she could still be the same Aerith he wanted. The Flower Lady who warmly greeted him in her residence seven years ago.

That Aerith had died long ago, and she wasn't feeling sorry for Cloud now.

Either Cloud learned to live with the present her, or he returned to his ex-girlfriend of six years, her own bestfriend. Ex-bestfriend to be exact.

She hadn't meant to communicate with her, but she had been homesick, plus Reno was extra-lax on guarding her that she was able to slip a letter pass him. Aerith had no idea if the letter had reached Tifa. No idea at all. She didn't detail the horrors of the last six years, only the tale that her reality was a far cry from the dreams she used to have.

She didn't include a return address. Aerith couldn't afford receiving a letter from her, or from Cloud, or from her mother. She was certain they had hated her considering the circumstances she had left. That bastard Sephiroth made it appear she had eloped with him. Elvira would never forgive her, and she was sure Elvira would reject her when she appeared in front of her doorstep six years later.

She still had her slave tattoo burned on her chest, and her Shinra number somewhere in her body. Costa del Sol had an abundance of tattoo artists to cover those blasted marks with a brand new design. A flower would be nice. Although a falling comet wouldn't be bad either. Any design would do, as long as it covered her hideous past.

"So how do we transport a six foot monster to the Eastern Continent without attracting attention?"

"We could chop him into pieces." Aerith suggested with macabre humor. "Your limbs regenerate, right Zack?"

Zack merely hissed. Probably in disapproval.

"Why don't we hide him in a crate?"

Cloud appraised Zack's figure. "For his size, we'd have to pay 10,000 Gil."

Aerith nodded. "Do you have a wallet?"

"I left mine at Midgar."

"I left mine there too."

A moment of silence passed. "'Don't tell me you're planning on stealing a crate." She glared at him.

"Well, what are our other options? You can't knock on someone's door and ask them to pay for the crate."

"I know how to strip dance—"

"That's not funny, Aerith."

Aerith winked at him, laughing at his sour expression. "It was just a suggestion, and besides, you're a bounty hunter. Aren't hunters registered? You can always apply for a job at the Mercenary Guild."

True enough, the easiest job for them was to hunt wanted monsters in the wilderness. One week later, they bought a seven foot crate to hide Zack on board the _S.S. Emerald,_ a large cruise ship to Costa Del Sol.

Everything was set. In two weeks' time, the S.S. Emerald would dock at Costa Del Sol, and she'd move on with her life.

The porter called their attention, looking apologetic. "Due to the incidence in Shinra a couple of weeks ago, we've received instruction that all contents must be inspected. We have to inspect whatever is inside the crate. "

Things weren't turning out to good. "It's just an unfinished statue, sir," she lied without any trace of nervousness. "My husband is a sculptor, and I am the painter. Our client in Costa wants to see us work in person."

The porter felt sorry for her. "Sorry maám, I'm just doing my job."

"I wouldn't advise you to see it, sir."

"Why?"

 _Sorry Zack_.

"It's grotesque,"she paused, thinking of improving her alibi. "I'm afraid if the other passengers will see it, they might not board the ship at all."

"Nonsense!" the porter exclaimed. "It's just a statue, nothing to be afraid at all."

And so, the statue was unboxed, and the horror had begun.

The porter turn green and blue, and unable to stomach the sight of statue, he yelled. "Cover it now! We can't afford other passengers to see it, or they'll think this is a doomed voyage!"

The workers hurried to cover the creature. Zack looked convincing in his act. He never budged at all.

Cloud exhaled, looking relieved. "We were almost caught."

"Oh, they will catch us alright."

Cloud froze. "What do you mean?"

"I saw our faces plastered on the bulletin. We're wanted fugitives."

"Shit."

"They'll come to our room, sooner or later, and they'll realize the statue down there isn't really a statue."

"We could use an alternate route." Cloud proposed.

"It doesn't matter. We still need to cross the ocean."

Cloud grumbled and sank on the chair. There was so much problems to solve. "Do you think they'll come after us?"

"Maybe, when we reach Costa del Sol."

Cloud hated it. Hated that escape was so near, but they had so many problems to face.

"Don't complain Cloud, we're returning to Nibelheim after all right? Isn't that what you wanted?"

"I don't think we should stay in these rooms."

"Silly Cloud, we've just arrived. And I'm sure the captain will discover we are wanted fugitives… in one week's time."

"How do you know that?"

"Female intuition. Trust me."

He looked skeptical.

"The last time I didn't follow my tuition, I was forcibly taken from my house. How does that sound?"

One week later, her intuition proved correct. The captain had declared they were harboring fugitives and an extensive search was going to be implemented in each room. They were a tad too late.

"Sir, one of the emergency boats is missing." One of the captain's men reported.

"What? Since when?"

"Since you ordered the extensive search."

The captain pounded his fist on the table, turning purple in rage. Damn. A pair of youngsters had outsmarted him. He hated being outsmarted. Hated it to a burning degree.

"What will we do captain?"

"Inform headquarters." He answered. "Those brats are going to the eastern continent aren't they? I'll make sure Shinra will get them, even if I won't.

* * *

It was suicide, Cloud contemplated, as they braved the raging waters with their small boat. The weather turned from good to worse, and unless they found a cove, the three of dead would never return home alive.

Then a large wave smashed their boat, and the last sight Cloud saw was Aerith. Did she even know how to swim?

When he regained consciousness, a lone flame lit the dark cave. The storm brewed outside, thunder cracking, the winds raging. Zack stood outside the mouth of the cave, guarding the entrance like a guard dog.

The sound of an object being cut draw his attention. Aerith was cutting a coconut with a sharp stone, hardly causing a dent to it. She turned to his direction, noting he had finally regained consciousness. She was only wearing her undergarments. Dark lace. Damn, she actually looked good in them.

He looked around the cave, remarking that he too was wearing his undergarments. Their clothes were hung over the bright flame.

"The boat is wrecked."Aerith spoke, pounding her the coconut on a sharp rock. "I think we can create a makeshift raft. I saw bamboo plants not too far from here."

"You're resourceful."

"I know a good plant when I see one."

"That's the flower lady I know," he replied. "How long have we stayed here?"

"I don't know. I don't have a watch, and I haven't seen the sun since we were shipwrecked."

"Oh."

Aerith finally succeeded in breaking the coconut. Clear juice spilled from the husk, and Cloud swallowed, parched. She was kind enough to offer the coconut to him, God bless her soul, and he devoured in less than a minute. Zack came near with another coconut in hand and offered it to Aerith.

She grinned at Zack, the first genuine smile Cloud had seen since the escape from Midgar.

"You can break this thing with your claw, Zack. Do you really want to make my life miserable?"

Zack nodded.

"Bummer," Aerith sighed, proceeding to break the coconut into half again. A good three minutes passed before she succeeded in her task.

"That's the first genuine smile I've seen on your face," Cloud blurted, unsure why he needed to say it.

She raised her brows nonchalantly. "Someone's observant."

He coughed. "Well, I did risk my ass to find you in Midgar."

"Thanks," she said without any trace of gratitude and looked away from him.

Then there was that silence again, briefly punctuated by the crackling flames and the sound of thunder. He was used to silence, but the silence between them was different. And he wanted to eliminate it.

Then Aerith surprised him by breaking it first. "Why did you come and save me?" she uttered out loud, still not facing him.

"I already told you why I came for you."

"You must have had a good life with Tifa,"she mumbled. "Tifa's beautiful. She has bigger breasts than mine, and—" she paused when he burst into laughter.

"Did you really have to say that?" he said, trying to catch his breath.

"It's the truth." she said, looking flushed, and she drew irregular lines and shapes on the ground. "She's so much better than me. So why all the effort?"

"I like you."

"I'm trash."

They weren't entering this subject matter again. "I accept whatever happened to you Aerith, good and bad."

"You can't possibly mean that."

Damn women, he thought irritably. Lie to them and they won't believe you. Tell the truth and they won't believe you.

"It's a little foolish for me to believe that things will go back to the way they used to be. I'm not the same. Zack's not the same."

"Even if the physical appearance may not be the same, both of you are still important to me."

He was tired of explaining himself to her. Her obsession with the past and the concept of trash disturbed him. As if she didn't want to remove the filth she had fallen into.

Her predicament was understandable, he tried to assure himself. Some people had difficulty moving on from a bad phase in their lives, and Aerith was one of them. He was unsure if he could carry on with her repeating statements of self-pity.

If only she hadn't been kidnapped, he thought sadly. If only Sephiroth had never seen her…

Suddenly, a question popped in his head. One he wanted to ask Lucrecia. One he wanted to ask her.

"Aerith, there's something I want to ask."

"Go ahead."

"Who was the woman Zack was referring to when he visited you at the Honey Bee?"

She focused her attention at him, trying to understand his question. "What woman?"

"The woman whom Sephiroth was supposed to take instead of you."

Her sharp intake filled the room. Even Zack's head snapped to their direction. Was he asking a question he wasn't supposed to tread?

"Why don't you ask Zack yourself?" she said, pointing to their friend.

Her sarcasm was starting to pique him. "Zack is only capable of a screech."

"She's not important, and it's as if you will die if I don't tell you."

So many questions to ask her, so little answers she supplied.

And her answers were hardly helpful.

"So you _do_ know the woman."

Aerith bit her lip. "Yes. Sephiroth told me, or rather, tormented me with that fact, actually."

"I never really understood why Sephiroth hated you that much." he told her, scooping the heavenly coconut meat into his mouth. "He kidnapped you, sold you, beat you, made you strip, and tormented you about that woman. Sheesh, what was running in his head?"

Aerith closed her eyes, with a serene expression on her face. "He's a little like me, you know."

"In what way?"

She tilted her head away from him. "Have you ever heard the idea that hurt people, hurt people?"

"Don't tell me you're feeling sorry for him."

"A little, but I still hate him."

"Enlighten me then."

Aerith exhaled. "If you say so." Stretching her legs, she gazed into the fire pit, as if remembering a tale. "Believe it or not, Sephiroth sees himself as trash."

"That's hard to believe."

"Go figure," she spat.

"I'm listening. Go on."

Aerith drew a deep breath, telling a tale she probably would never repeat again. And he listened, hoping it would shed light or provide a clue to help him understand the man who ruined everything.

"Several years ago, a time way before I even met him, Sephiroth frequented the Eastern Continent. He was an avid Mixed Martial Arts fan, betting on his fighters for fun and to increase his fortunes. One day, a participant caught his attention. The sole woman in that arena. She was a wild card entry, and believing she would lose, Sephiroth bet on her opponent."

"What happened?"

"She won, and Sephiroth lost one million Gil that night. Not that it hurt his pocket. That son of a bitch has more money to burn. But he didn't like losing, nor did he like to look like a fool. And that woman made a fool out of him."

"By winning the match?"

"Blame it on his pride."

"What happened next?"

"He decided to recruit her, and she rejected him, saying she wasn't interested in being his lap dog. That didn't help his wounded ego, and he did the best thing he knew to humiliate her."

"What?"

"Tried to had her kidnapped and sold in the black market. He failed, of course, or his men bungled it all up. I heard he had those men fed to the Marlboros. A pity, aren't they? The woman didn't give up without a fight, and Sephiroth liked a good challenge."

"So what did Sephiroth do next?"

"Tried to have her kidnapped several times. All attempts failed, and then the weirdest thing happened—he fell in love with her."

That green-eyed monster was capable of love?

"He fell in love with his target?"

She nodded. "Literally. I think he realized it the moment she punched him in the face during another kidnap attempt."

Whoever this woman was, Cloud thought, was incredible. "What happened next?"

"He tried to get all the facts he knew about her, and he discovered she was a high schooler who fought to put food on the table. She was in love with a man, but that man in question was in love with another woman."

Things were starting to unravel, like the romance novels Zack gobbled with gusto. "Why are you telling me Sephiroth's love story when I'm asking about the identity of that woman?"

"Because it's connected to me," she said coldly. "With love came Sephiroth's realization that she could never love him for his sordid past. For the horrible things he committed. For the kidnap attempts he put her in. But he loved her, and strangely, and he wanted her to be happy. I don't know what sick logic was running in his head, but he decided that if he couldn't have her, then at least the woman he loved could have the man of her dreams. And for that to happen, he had to take the obstacle in between them."

The pieces of the puzzle were starting to fit. "You were the obstacle." He croaked, realizing the identity of the nameless woman she was narrating about. His ex-girlfriend for the last six years. The boxer. The only woman he knew who knew how to bring a man to his knees.

"But I don't understand it. I mean, if they knew each other, then she would have recognized him at the dance—"

"Sephiroth dyed his hair black and wore contact lenses when he met her."

But her revelation still didn't explain Sephiroth's cruel treatment towards her. "How do you know all about this?"

"Lucrecia told me," she admitted. "and when she returned me to Sephiroth, that damn bastard told me about it."

"Does Tifa know-?" He had to ask. He had to know if his ex-girlfriend knew the hot water she indirectly put Aerith in.

"She doesn't know, and I don't think Sephiroth could have told her either."

"That still doesn't explain why he treated you horribly."

"He's cruel to the women he captures." She replied. "I just received extra special treatment. As weird as it sounds, he didn't want to sully Tifa with the terrible details of life. It must have produced conflict in his head, wanting someone for yourself, then pushing them away because you don't want them to be tainted with your filth. And because he couldn't cope with it, he took his frustrations on me. I think he hated himself that much."

That was the clue he was waiting for. An indication that her continuous cold treatment of him and her rejections weren't because she hated him.

But because she cared.

"Do you hate yourself that much too?"

She froze, realizing the logic behind his question. "I don't know what to say."

"Tell me the truth Aerith," closing the distance between them, he cradled her face in his hands. "No more masks. No more lies. Tell me the truth."

Her tears fell. One by one. She wasn't hysterical, no. She just looked at him, allowing the tears to flow from her face, and when she spoke, raw pain gripped her voice.

"I so dirty, Cloud." she whispered, a line she repeated so many times. "I'm sorry if I can't be the person I used to be anymore, the one you saw that afternoon in my house. I know I didn't want everything to happen to me. I want to move on with my life. I want to forget all the bad memories. I want to go back to Nibelheim and pretend that the last years were just a dream. I want to pretend that we were still in highschool, that you asked me our for dance, that we became the Lord and Lady of the Night, that I was the one whom you took to bed that night, that I was your girlfriend for the last six years."

She paused to wipe away the tears. " I know I sound like a broken record, and I'm sorry, but I can't help it. The future is in our hands to create, yet the darkness consumes me sometimes, and suddenly I'm standing in front of the block again, I can see Sephiroth, the injections, the hot poker, then men leering at me, the gun between Zack's head. It's too much... I don't know if I can be alright, or if I will be alright. I don't know if I can wake up one morning without the emptiness gnawing my chest. You've taken me out from Midgar, but I can't take Midgar out of my mind. I'm so sorry for this bullshit, Cloud, I'm so sorry-"

He pulled her against his chest, feeling the wetness of her tears. For a moment, he was outside her house again, standing outside her garden, talking about plants, hesitating to ask her to be his partner. If only he had asked her. If only he wasn't a second too late...

"Everything is going to be alright," he promised her. "I won't leave you."

"Don't say things you can't deliver."

"I risked my ass for you."

"You have a nice ass by the way." she snickered.

At least she was starting to find humor in their situation, he thought. Her tears had dried up and he released her from his embrace.

"Our clothes must be dry now." she excused herself and took their clothes, inspecting the garments before returning his.

Cloud watched her as she donned her garments, pondering his next steps.

He would wait for her, he decided with finality. Despite the intervening years, despite the darkness she told him that overwhelmed her, he would wait. With grim admission, the darkness would always be there with her, and he acknowledge that love was not enough to make it go away.

But he was an optimist, and he believed that humans were capable of handling all the good and bad that came their way, and he would help her realize that.

He would wait for her, stand beside her, no matter how long it took, no matter how many seasons would pass.

She had saved his dying plant years ago, and this time, he would save her dying optimistic view in life.

No matter what.


	22. Second Chances

Elvira Gainsborough's eyes opened before the sunlight entered her room. Slowly easing from the bed, she rubbed her neck. Her mouth was parched and an irresistible urge for a heavenly drop of alcohol consumed her.

She pinched her cheek. Too bad she had already forsaken the blessed bottle months ago.

Change had crept like a snake. Subtle, without warning. One day, she threw the last bottle of alcohol against the wall, shattering it into tiny pieces. She wanted her old self back. The life before alcohol took over. She had enough of the alcohol and her wretched life.

It wasn't easy and often, Elvira woke with a strong craving. Maybe a single drop wouldn't hurt, right? No one would know. No one…

After washing and dressing herself, Elvira walked down the stairs, passing by the calendar hanging on the wall.

Twenty-nine bright red cross marks covered the dates. Her marks of sobriety, her marks of waiting.

Cloud promised he would bring Aerith back, and she doubted if he could. It had been months since he left, and there was no trace of news from him. Not even a letter.

The sun had finally risen, with light filling the gloomy Gainsborough household. Her residence had taken the brunt of her alcoholism, having seen better days when Aerith was still around. It was old but habitable, and a little repair would do wonders. She held her breath. So many tasks to do, so little time.

The weather was sunny and bright, a perfect day to revive the plants she had watered to death six years ago. Elvira never had the green thumb, but she could always learn.

By ten o'clock, she returned inside to change her sweat-drenched clothes when the floor creaked on its own. Without making further noise, she approached the empty kitchen and grabbed the nearest twelve-inch knife from the countertop. A flimsy weapon, at best. If the intruder had a pistol or a china lake…

"Who's there?" she whispered, ignoring the pounding against her chest.

"It's me aunt," a voice spoke.

"Cloud!" Relief filled her as the intruder revealed himself and she lowered the knife. "I thought you were a burglar armed with a china lake!"

His face lit with amusement. "Why would a burglar use a china lake in this ratty house? I think you've been watching too many action films."

He had good humor, this love sick boy, but he looked different too. Older, thinner, tired. His eyes held an expression she couldn't decipher, and she wouldn't know what it was unless he shared it with her.

"I've brought her back." He continued, looking a bit hopeful.

Her hand trembled as she returned the knife to its container. Seconds passed before she finally found her voice. "So where's that ungrateful brat?" she asked, hoping her voice hid any trace of nervousness.

With a ghost of a smile on his face, he looked to his right, urging the person to come forward.

And she finally stepped forward, her long lost daughter. Older, more beautiful... a little bit jaded.

"You look horrible," Elvira blurted, the words coming out from her mouth before she could stop it, and she cursed herself. This wasn't the greeting she imagined telling her. She had imagined words of love and longing…not this.

But her observation was true. Aerith's green eyes reflected a bleakness Elvira had never seen before. As if her daughter had been through unspeakable horrors she could never imagine.

Then the bleakness vanished, and a different mask was set in place. "You look horrible as well, mother." She said in voice devoid of any sarcasm.

Now where did that sass come from? She was always the polite daughter. "Look at how you've changed."

Aerith hardly flinched. "People change, mother. I heard you resorted to alcohol to forget your problems."

"Are we counting each other's faults now?"

"You're the one who started it."

 _Calm down,_ Elvira herself. Being an alcoholic shortened a person's patience and hers were running short.

Cloud looked flustered and tried to pacify them. "Aerith, now isn't the time to pick a fight."

"I wasn't picking a fight."

"Yes you are."

Aerith's frowned. "Whose side are you on anyway?"

* * *

Cloud exhaled. _One, two, three….ten._

Things were not going according to plan. He expected them to kiss and make up, not shoot daggers with each other. He should have expected it though. Neither one of them wanted to say sorry. Maybe it was too much to hope for.

Aerith went home with him, refusing to stay in her own residence. "She doesn't want me there." She reasoned out, but he knew better.

"Maybe you're the one who doesn't want to be there."

She stuck out her tongue. "Stop acting like a psychologist."

"They call it _projection_."

Waving her hand, she shook her head. "Whatever. Just let me stay in your place."

"Until when?"

"Until I say so."

His mother had welcomed her with open arms, and in exchange, asked numerous questions about her disappearance. Aerith had an excuse, a logical one, in fact—she had grown tired of the fame and limelight after chasing her dream to be a model in Midgar. Admitting the decision created a rift in her relationship with Elvira, Aerith was willing to do everything for a reconciliation.

His mother ate it all up without question and allowed her to stay in their house, giving the vacant room adjacent to Cloud's.

Entering his own quarters, Cloud dropped on the soft bed, the first taste of luxury since their escape. Two problems still remained- What to make of Zack, and how to reconcile Elvira and Aerith Gainsborough.

Zack temporarily settled himself in Mt. Nibelheim, preventing bandits from attacking civilians. They couldn't afford to bring him inside Nibelheim, or else. Aerith was in the other room, staying for an indefinite period of time.

They couldn't afford to stay long in Nibelheim, he thought. Even if they lived in another continent, Shinra's power stretched towards their continent. Sooner or later, the organization would come for their heads.

The only question was _when_. Until that time came, he had to relocate his mother to another country, a place where Shinra wouldn't find them. Perhaps he would bring Elvira Gainsborough and Aerith, or Tifa as well.

He had yet to visit Seventh Heaven and talk to her _. Talk to her about what?_ There was nothing to talk about. The past was past, as Aerith reminded him, and she clearly told him Tifa wasn't directly involved in her kidnapping.

Cloud closed his eyes, willing himself to sleep. Tomorrow was another day to solve his problems. Tomorrow would take care of itself. He certainly hoped so.

The next day, he visited Seventh Heaven, only to find a large "closed" sign plastered across the door. The windows were barricaded on the ground and second floor. Tifa lived with her family in the building. They couldn't have left, could they?

An old man walking not too far recognized him. After exchanging greetings, he answered Cloud's concern. "Tifa closed the place not long after you left."

"Where is she?"

"The family moved away a few weeks after they closed the store. They didn't tell where they relocated to. Too bad. Tifa's beverages are the best."

He exhaled. Great, his ex-girlfriend vanished without a trace. With a heavy heart he returned home, entering his room without switching on the lights. Slouching on his bed, he ruminated on his problems again.

His door creaked open and the lights turned on. Aerith stood in front of him, a towel draped over her body and her wet hair, the slave mark visible on the top of her breast.

"You're back." She said in a nonchalant voice as she toweled her hair.

Cloud's face felt hot. He had seen her naked thrice. First, when she had strip danced. Second, when they made love in the abandoned playground. Third, when they were shipwrecked. Her near nudity unsettled him, but she looked unaffected and glanced at him unabashedly.

"Y-you should have knocked before entering my room." He stammered. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"How was I to know you were here? The lights were switched off, and auntie told me I could temporarily use your clothes."

He blinked. "You can use my mom's."

"Her clothes are too large." And she moved towards his cabinet, opening the third drawer. "I'll be borrowing your shirt and boxers."

"Suit yourself."

The towel dropped on the floor and he jerked his head away. Damn her for behaving as if he wasn't supposed to care. The white shirt was long enough to cover her upper thighs, but it suited her fine. Aerith finger-combed the wet tendrils of her hair, and without looking at him said, "I should have told you that Tifa left Nibelheim after you dumped her, that way, you wouldn't have bothered to visit her place."

His ears perked up. "How did you know I dropped by her place?"

"Let's just say my years as a Turk taught me a little bit of stuff."

She wasn't going to answer him, fine. "Spying on me?"

"No, I was busy reviving the plants my mother killed."

At least that was good news. "Have you patched things with her?"

"We didn't talk."

Bummer. "So when will you talk to her then?"

"There's always the right time to talk to someone."

He snickered. "You sound just like Lucrecia."

Aerith stopped drying her hair and snorted. "I wouldn't want my mother to wait for another six years, would I?"

* * *

The garden had finally shown signs of life, thank God her mother hadn't killed her plants completely. The sun was bright, and Elvira was nowhere in sight. It was already nine o'clock. What was she waiting for?

She couldn't just barge into her former residence. She had too much respect for her mother to do that. She couldn't enter the house unless she patched her relationship with her mother. Unless she gathered the courage to talk about what happened to her.

It was just an confession. No one died from a confession, right?

She was just Elvira Gainsborough, her adoptive mother. It wasn't as if her mother had a device to press if she was displeased with her.

She probably would.

Perhaps Elvira thought the worst of her for not listening to her many years ago. Perhaps she wouldn't believe to anything she said.

Everyone had bought her story—the tale of a model who had enough of the glitz and glamor. But would her own mother buy it as well?

Aerith then heard distinct footsteps approaching. "You're late."

Elvira shrugged. "I guessed you would water the plants for me."

"You watered them to death."

"So are you here to remind me of my black thumb?"

"No, I'm here to confess."

There. She said it. That wasn't so hard, was it?

But Elvira stood in front of her, unblinking, with a passive expression. "You became a model, at least that's what I've heard from the people from town."

"That's not the entire story."

Elvira crossed her arms. "So what happened to my prodigal daughter?"

She inhaled the warm air and took off her top, feeling the cool breeze caress her skin. No one would see her undress anyway. No surveillance cameras. No Reno…Not even Sephiroth. No one.

Elvira paled at the sight of her daughter's naked torso. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Look closely mother." She wasn't shy. Her mother had seen her naked before as a child, even as she reached her adolescence. She wasn't squeamish with her nudity. Neither was she squeamish when she was forced to strip dance.

Her mother looked at the torso, noticing the scars that weren't supposed to be there. The tattoos that hadn't been there before.

"What's that?" she asked, pointing to the flower-shaped mark on her chest.

"It's my slave brand."

Elvira froze, as if she heard incorrectly. "A slave brand?"

Aerith touched the mark, remembering the pain. "The man used a hot poker on me. As if I was some cattle to be sold, only that I _was_ sold. Do you know much I was worth, mother? I was bought for one million Gil."

The color drained from her mother's face. "Don't lie to me."

"But why should I lie?" she mumbled, "I have nothing to hide from you anymore. Does it disgust you?"

"Did Sephiroth did this to you?"

Aerith shook her head, sighing. "He was a bad man after all mama, but regrets are always in the end, aren't they?"

Sweat trailed down Elvira's face, and Aerith wondered what her mother was thinking. Would she gloat that she was correct all along, that she had made the biggest mistake in her life? Would she be disgusted? Would she turn her away, the prodigal daughter that she was?

Without warning, Elvira embraced her, the arms heavy and tight, warm and comforting. And the bad years fell away. Then the tears poured out of her, blurring her vision. She was always crying. She was tired of crying.

Her mother was crying too. "It's going to be alright," she assured her.

And for the first time, after six years, Aerith felt safe to be home at last.

* * *

Zack's stretched his lithe body as he lay sprawled on the stone floor. He had adjusted to his new lifestyle now. Since their return, he had taken residence in Mt. Nibelheim, acting as the unofficial guardian. Nibelheim had no need for a monster in their streets, but their mountains did. He had been given a new body, one that struck fear into anyone who saw him—including his victims.

Bandits frequented the slopes of Mt. Nibelheim, where merchants and civilians traversed to reach other towns and cities. When he was still a human, he had encountered several bandits, all intent on robbing him. He had made quick work of them, disposing them before they could prey on others. But it wasn't enough. There were so many bandits that Zack resigned to arm himself whenever he traversed the slopes.

Times were different now.

Footsteps echoed in his cave. He immediately recognized who it was, his good old friend, Cloud Strife. Perhaps he had good news with him now. Or bad. Who cares? As long as it was a piece of life outside his cloistered cave, it was enough.

Cloud dropped the rucksack strapped across his bag. Carefully, he unloaded the fresh meat as big as a log. Lugging twenty kilos was no joke, and his back was aching.

"I have food."

Zack grunted in approval, and he set himself beside Cloud like an obedient dog.

"I bet you want to hear some news, well, let me tell you. Tifa shut Seventh Heaven and moved away."

She was probably guilty, Zack thought. Stealing your best friend's only love, plus the feeling that you boyfriend would always love another than you. That was hell, pure hell, and Zack hoped wherever Tifa was, she had finally found the peace she was looking for. Why else would you shut a profitable business and move away?

"Aerith has yet to mend her relationship with her mom. Progress is a little slow, but I trust it won't take her six years."

Zack snickered, except it sounded like a sharp hiss in the cave.

Their brief hilarious moment was briefly punctuated with a sharp sound of clapping. "Isn't that touching?" the voice asked.

Cloud and Zack jerked their heads to the mouth of the cave. It was a figure Zack thought he would never see again.

Cloud shook his head in disbelief. "You're still alive?"

"Aren't you glad to see me?" she grinned.

* * *

Lucrecia looked exactly the same as he had last seen her. A little thinner, beautiful nonetheless. Lucrecia always looked in style. She wasn't in her typical attire anymore. No laboratory gowns or dresses, but elegant travel clothes.

Vincent and Tseng stood not too far from her. Both acknowledged him with a simple nod.

So, they were still alive.

"How did you survive Midgar?"'

Lucrecia stepped forward, her arms folded across her chest. "Never leave a place without plan B, or in case that doesn't work out, you can always create up to plan Z."

Crazy woman. "Where's your son?"

"Somewhere where he can't harm you."

"I'm not sure if I trust your word. I'm sure he'll be after me and Aerith."

"Oh, he won't."

"Why are you so sure of that?"

She cocked her head. "He wouldn't chase after someone if he doesn't remember them, would he?"

Amnesia? "Did he bonk his head, or what?"

"Well, I went with plan D."

"That is?"

"None of your concern anymore. You can take my word that Sephiroth doesn't remember either you, Aerith, or even his years in Midgar. Can't you trust me on that? I did help you escape Shinra after all.'"

She had a point. He owed her that, even if she put him through difficult situations. "Aerith has been frantic. She wanted to talk to you."

"There's always a right time to talk to people."

Cloud snorted. "Funny. That's the exact same thing she told me yesterday."

"It won't take six years though." Lucrecia snickered. "As of now, she's already patched things up with her mom."

"How do you know?"

"I was there, watching them."

Despite all her eccentricities, he was amazed with her intel skills. Without warning, she threw him an envelope, and he caught it by reflex.

"What's this?"

"Tickets to your new life." she explained. "You know that Shinra will be after me, you, and your relatives. Get them out of here."

"What about you?"

"I have Vincent with me. Don't worry about me, besides, I know how to handle myself. Nibelheim isn't safe, you know, especially when we've become fugitives."

"Thanks to you."

She flipped a strand of hair away from her face. "That's the price of freedom."

"What happened to your husband?"

"He's still alive, but he's in deep trouble. A trouble I'm sure he won't get out easily."

"I thought you killed him."

"I decided to let nature run its natural course. He'll kill himself, sooner or later." Lucrecia turned her back away and moved towards the exit. "I heard the cherry trees will be in full bloom after three months' time. Aerith will love them, I'm sure."

There was only one place where Cherry trees bloomed. "What if she doesn't?"

She grinned at him. "Never doubt a woman's instinct."

* * *

 **AN:** It's a happy ending Kasey ( spoilers!). I'm sorry if it took me a while to post. Just when I was about to hit the publish button, good ol' perfectionism reared its ugly head, and I ended up writing and revising this chapter. One more chapter before the roller coaster ends. whoooo!


	23. Epilogue

_**Wutai, five years later**_

Aerith walked along the streets, admiring the view. Spring had come again, and so did the beautiful blossoms of the Cherry trees lining the road. The pink blooms were a wonder to behold, like the first time she had seen them many years ago when she was still a Turk. The trees were beautiful during the morning, but they were marvelous at night time. Most especially when the full moon shone brightly. Just like tonight.

Then she clutched her abdomen, grimacing in pain. The six-month old baby in her womb was a fighter, occasionally giving her a kick or a two. Not that Aerith complained. Babies were a blessing, and her child with Cloud was definitely worth it.

"Eager to see the world are you, little Infalna?" she cooed as she rubbed her belly.

It had been five years since they migrated to Wutai. Five years since she had reconciled with her mother and moved on with her life. No one said healing was easy, but she was thankful for the support of the people who cared for her. Elvira. Her therapist. Nearby support groups.

And the love of her life.

Cloud was waiting at the peak of Mt. Wutai. It had been their yearly ritual to see the full bloom of Cherry Trees at midnight.

And she was going to be late.

Walking a hundred steps wasn't forgiving for a pregnant woman, but she wasn't an ordinary expecting woman. She had been a Turk, a killer, a stripper, a kidnap victim. A mere hundred steps paled to her past experiences.

But it was hard.

Familiar faces were climbing towards Mt. Wutai's Peak as well. Friends and acquaintances. To her right, several tourists descended from Mt. Wutai. Strangers she would never know nor see again.

She froze.

The couple wore a traditional Wutai attire. A handsome couple, as a matter of fact. Both of them smiling and talking as they walked down the steps, happily holding their child in hand.

Aerith felt her throat constrict and she blinked. They hadn't seen her. The probably wouldn't, given the large volume of people. But the woman's head turned to her direction, a ghost of a smile on her lips. Lucrecia was still a beautiful woman. Vincent was no longer brooding and his eyes twinkled with happiness.

And their son who looked exactly like them. With

They were smiling at her and she blinked again, wondering if she had really seen them.

"Is something wrong?" asked her mother.

Aerith rubbed her eyes and pinched her cheeks. They were gone, lost in the sea of walking people.

"I thought I saw…" her voice trailed off.

"A ghost?"

"Old friends" she breathed.

Elvira chuckled. "Wutai's a small town. I'm sure you'll meet them later. Come, let's hurry. Your husband is waiting for us."

Aerith looked at the crowd again, before turning away and resumed ascent. Cloud had told her about his last conversation with Lucrecia. That they would meet again at the right time, and it wouldn't take six years, Lucrecia had joked. She certainly kept her promise.

Aerith smiled. The world was a small place, and old friends were always welcome.

* * *

 **AN:**

Thank you very much for reading this story! FFM has come a long way, from the initial five story chapter I conceived, to the 23 part story it is today. Posting a story is always a risk, and for me, my hesitations and perfectionism nearly stopped me from finishing this fic. In the end, all the effort and delays are worth it.

Austin Kleon said, " Write the story you want to read", and I did. I always wondered if some people would like or read this fic. The statistics and reviews were kind though! I'm glad when Kasey, Unforgettable Green Eyes, Lovely Precedent (and the others too! )wrote their thoughts about the flow of the story, or what the ending would be . Your words gave me the push to continue writing. For that, thank you!

And now that FFM has finally ended, I will be moving back to the FF8 pages to write His Eyes on Me (Laguna-Raine fic) and Lion's Oath (mystery-suspense). I have another FF7 Fic in line too featuring Cloud as a painter who is commissioned by Sephiroth to paint a magnum opus. Now if you've read FFM, you'll have an idea of the story's tone.

So once again, thank you, and I hoped you enjoyed reading FFM.

Love lots.

\- Chryselis

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